Humana and Florida Blue are both well-established national health insurance carriers with a significant presence in Florida — but they serve different segments of the market and bring different strengths to the ACA marketplace. Florida Blue has dominated the individual market as a BCBS licensee for decades. Humana, while best known in Florida for its Medicare Advantage plans, has a meaningful individual ACA presence in major metropolitan counties.
This comparison covers Humana's ACA individual marketplace plans, not its Medicare products. If you're under 65 and shopping for 2026 marketplace coverage in a Florida county where Humana is available, here's what you need to know.
Comparing ACA plans in Florida
Humana is a major national carrier with deep roots in Florida's Medicare market — it consistently ranks among the top Medicare Advantage carriers in the state by enrollment. Its ACA individual marketplace footprint is more selective, concentrated in major Florida metros rather than offered statewide.
County availability: Humana offers 2026 ACA marketplace plans in key Florida counties including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Seminole, Duval, and others in its service area. It is not available in smaller or rural Florida counties where Florida Blue often holds a monopoly position. Verify availability at HealthCare.gov for your specific ZIP code.
Plan structure: Humana's Florida individual marketplace plans are primarily structured as HMO and EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization) plans. EPO plans — sometimes more common in Humana's portfolio — function similarly to HMOs in that all care must be in-network (except emergencies), but EPOs typically do not require a PCP referral before seeing a specialist. This gives enrollees somewhat more direct specialist access without full PPO costs.
Network composition: Humana's Florida networks in its ACA plans include a significant portion of the state's major health systems. In the Tampa Bay region, Humana networks typically include BayCare Health System (St. Joseph's Hospital, Morton Plant, Mease, and others), AdventHealth facilities, and select HCA Florida locations. In South Florida, Humana's network includes Cleveland Clinic Florida, HCA hospitals, and primary care networks. That said, not every major system is in every Humana plan — provider directories should always be checked before enrolling.
Premium positioning: Humana's ACA premiums in Florida typically fall between Ambetter (the lowest-price competitor) and Florida Blue. In most Florida markets where Humana competes, it offers Silver HMO plans approximately 8–15% below Florida Blue's comparable Silver HMO, while pricing above Ambetter and Molina. This mid-tier positioning can make Humana appealing to enrollees who want lower costs than Florida Blue but are concerned about Ambetter's narrower network.
Florida Blue's core advantages over Humana in the ACA market come down to three factors: statewide availability, PPO options, and network depth.
Statewide availability: Florida Blue operates in more than 60 of Florida's 67 counties on the individual marketplace. In counties where Humana does not participate, Florida Blue is typically the only large carrier available. For enrollees in Gainesville, Tallahassee, the Florida Panhandle, or smaller central Florida counties, Florida Blue is often the primary or default choice.
PPO plans: Florida Blue's BlueOptions PPO is the only true PPO available from a major carrier on Florida's ACA marketplace. PPO plans allow enrollees to receive out-of-network care at higher cost-sharing, provide access to the national BlueCard network, and do not require PCP referrals for specialists. Humana's ACA plans are HMO or EPO — EPOs provide no-referral specialist access but no out-of-network coverage.
Network depth: Florida Blue BlueOptions covers virtually every major health system in the state, including systems that Humana's narrower network may not include in every market. For enrollees with established relationships at specific academic medical centers, cancer centers, or specialty hospitals, Florida Blue's network breadth provides the lowest risk of finding a needed provider out-of-network.
| Feature | Humana (FL Individual ACA) | Florida Blue |
|---|---|---|
| County coverage (FL) | Select major metro counties | 60+ of 67 counties |
| Plan types | HMO, EPO | HMO + PPO |
| Out-of-network coverage | Emergency only | PPO: Yes / HMO: Emergency only |
| Specialist referrals | HMO: required / EPO: not required | HMO: required / PPO: not required |
| Typical Silver premium vs FL Blue | 8–15% lower | Baseline |
| Network in major metros | Solid — includes major systems | Broadest in FL |
| Rural/North FL coverage | Not available | Available statewide |
| Telehealth | Yes | Yes (Teladoc, copays vary) |
| National BlueCard network | No | PPO only |
| Best known Florida product | Medicare Advantage | Individual & Small Group ACA |
| Market | Humana Silver HMO/EPO | FL Blue Silver HMO | FL Blue Silver PPO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough (Tampa) | ~$390–$420/mo | ~$435–$460/mo | ~$510–$545/mo |
| Miami-Dade | ~$420–$455/mo | ~$465–$510/mo | ~$545–$580/mo |
| Orange County (Orlando) | ~$370–$400/mo | ~$415–$445/mo | ~$490–$520/mo |
| Duval County (Jacksonville) | ~$365–$395/mo | ~$400–$435/mo | ~$475–$510/mo |
These are approximate unsubsidized premiums for illustrative purposes. After subsidy, actual costs depend on which plan is the benchmark Silver in your county. Verify current pricing at HealthCare.gov.
A licensed Florida health insurance agent can compare Humana, Florida Blue, and all available 2026 ACA plans in your county — checking your providers' network status and calculating your subsidy — at no cost to you.
Compare Plans in Your County