Dave Berman from Florida Today
Published Oct. 17, 2024
Suntree-based Health First Health Plans is expanding its Medicare Advantage plan offerings to customers in Lake, Orange and Seminole counties for 2025, adding to the six counties where the coverage already is available.
Health First ― which is Brevard County's largest health care company ― also announced this week that it has implemented an agreement with Parrish Healthcare to put Parrish facilities under the Health First network for insurance customers.
Here are details about the two developments:
Alliance with Parrish
Magnetic resonance imaging procedures at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville have become "in-network" for Health First Health Plans customers under an agreement between the two Brevard County health care providers.
As part of its growing alliance with Titusville-based Parrish Healthcare, Health First Health Plans said Parrish Healthcare, Parrish Medical Center, Parrish HealthCare Network and other providers in North Brevard County will be "in-network" for all of Health First Health Plan members. Patients who use an insurance carrier's in-network providers generally reduce the patient's out-of-pocket costs.
Effective this week, Parrish Medical Center is available to all Health First Health Plans members as an in-network provider.
Parrish Medical Group and other providers will join the network in November, following the completion of a credentialing process, adding an array of local specialists and primary-care providers.
Health First said this will strengthen health care options for its members, particularly in North Brevard.
“It is with immense pride we welcome Parrish Healthcare to our network,” Health First Health Plans President Matt Gerrell said. “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to providing our members with the exceptional options available locally. Together, we’re ensuring our community has access to comprehensive, high-quality care, right where they live.”
The nearly 50,000 Brevard County members of Health First Health Plans health insurance will be the most likely to benefit from the agreement. That includes 26,158 in Medicare Advantage plans, as well as 23,411 in individual and family plans.
Launched in 1996, Health First Health Plans has provided a variety of services, including a network of more than 4,000 providers and dozens of acute-care and office-based medical services, throughout Central Florida.
Health First offer a variety of health insurance plans, such as Medicare Advantage, as well as individual plans and family plans (both on and off the Marketplace exchange). In all, Health First Health Plans serves more than 80,000 members.
Depending on the chosen plan, physical and mental health benefits include fitness allowances, pediatric dental care, mental health treatment, and virtual health and urgent-care options.
Medicare Advantage expansion
With its expansion into Lake, Orange and Seminole counties for 2025, Health First Health Plans Medicare Advantage plans will be available in nine counties. It currently serve Brevard, Flagler, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River and Volusia counties.
“As a not-for-profit health plan, we’re excited and honored to expand our Medicare Advantage offerings to customers in Orange, Lake and Seminole counties for 2025,” Gerrell said.
The Medicare annual enrollment period began Tuesday and runs through Saturday, Dec. 7.
Health First said its Health First Health Plans has been rated a "4.5-star" plan (on a scale of zero to five stars) by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is ranked is in the top 10% of all Medicare Advantage plans in the country among nearly 4,000 Medicare Advantage plans currently available nationwide for individual enrollment.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stars ratings annually evaluate plan performance in areas including quality of care, customer service, health outcomes and provider office experience, Gerrell said.
Health First includes health insurance plans, a multispecialty medical group, and outpatient and wellness services, as well as four hospitals — Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Palm Bay Hospital and Viera Hospital.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54
