Nine health insurers have submitted proposals to participate in Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) new "Cover Florida" program, which aims to provide basic, low-cost health coverage to about four million uninsured state residents, the St. Petersburg Times reports. According to the Times, one statewide plan will be chosen and additional regional plans might be added to provide consumers with more options.

According to the state's Agency for Health Care Administration, the nine companies that submitted applications are the American Management Advisors, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Celtic Insurance Company, Florida Health Care Plan, JMH Health Plan, Medica Health Plans of Florida, Total Health Choice, United Healthcare and Universal Healthcare.

James Bracher of the Florida Association of Health Plans said, "Certainly, it's a relatively sizable number," adding, "With the companies that are there, I would expect that pretty much every area of the state would be covered."

Complete details of the proposals will not be made public until Sept. 8 because of state bidding laws (Bousquet, St. Petersburg Times, 8/18).