UF Health St. Johns Partners with Florida Blue to Bring New HMO, Truli for Health, to St. Johns County

Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 21, 2022 —Small and mid-size businesses in Jacksonville and St. Augustine will soon have a new health plan option focused on high-quality, easily accessible and more affordable health care coverage for their employees. Truli for Health (Truli), an affiliate of Florida Blue and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a new health maintenance organization (HMO) launching in January 2023 for businesses in Duval and St. Johns counties.

Unlike other health insurance products in the market, Truli was built from the ground up to be an integrated model with UF Health St. Johnsin St. Johns County and UF Health Jacksonville in Duval County — blurring the lines between health care and health insurance coverage.

“Employee health care costs are one of the biggest concerns for small and mid-size business owners. Some have chosen to not offer health care coverage to their employees because the cost was out of reach,” said Phil Lee, Florida Blue vice president, Strategic Provider Partnerships and president, Truli for Health.

“We designed Truli for Health specifically with these issues in mind. By providing highly coordinated, personalized health care with our anchor providers at UF Health Jacksonville and Flagler Health+, we can offer Jacksonville-area companies a more affordable health plan with more consistent costs from year to year.”

Collaborating with Health Systems to Lower Costs for Employers and Employees

In the Jacksonville area, Truli collaborates with leading doctors and hospitals in the UF Health Jacksonville and UF Health St. Johnssystems to deliver quality, personalized health care at a lower price. The HMO’s medical model means employees are cared for within health systems that share a passion for rethinking the way health care is financed and delivered. This ensures better coordination between primary care doctors, specialists, diagnostics and other care teams to drive more comprehensive care for employees and lower costs for employers. And, whether they’re seeing their primary care doctor for a checkup or seeking care for a chronic condition like diabetes — employees are offered low copay options for their Truli health coverage for the care they need.

As part of their collaboration with Truli for Health in their respective counties, UF Health Jacksonville and UF Health St. Johnsare incentivized to continue focusing on improved patient experiences and health outcomes, maintaining patient health and providing more efficient, simplified and affordable health care delivery.

“Workers along the First Coast need access to more affordable, high-quality care. Truli offers small and mid-sized employers — the core of local business communities — a solution for their employees and their families, many of whom were previously uninsured. For businesses, the ability to offer more affordable health care options can lead to a healthier, more productive workforce and serve as a key differentiator in attracting and retaining employees,” said Darnell Smith, North Florida market president, Florida Blue.

Truli for Health is available for businesses to package with other Florida Blue health plans to offer their employees multiple health plan options so they can find the one that best fits their budget and specific needs.

“One of our goals at UF Health Jacksonville is to provide health care to everyone who needs it, and affordability is a main component,” said Russ Armistead, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville. “Some of the people who come to us for care have very limited resources to pay for their health needs, so our job is to find a way to help. We think Truli will give us another way to find solutions, and we are proud to collaborate with them on this important initiative.”

“As a true care partner on life’s journey, UF Health St. Johns is committed to providing innovative care in both new ways and new places, while reducing costs,” said UF Health St. JohnsPresident and CEO, Carlton DeVooght.

Businesses can begin enrolling in Truli for Health in the Jacksonville area beginning Oct. 1 for the Jan. 1, 2023, start date. To learn more about Truli, call 1-855-30TRULI or visit www.truliforhealth.com.