With the economy continuing to struggle, the number of Floridians with private health insurance continued a steady decline in 2010, according to a report approved Tuesday by the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board reports the News Service of Florida. About 3.7 million people had commercial insurance, down from nearly 3.9 million in 2009 and 4.5 million in 2006. The drop last year stemmed primarily from losses in the in-state small-group market, which saw enrollment decline by almost 19 percent. The individual market saw a 3 percent increase in 2010. But the report, which is updated annually, said the uptick in individual coverage is linked to the drop in the small-group market. “Because of the natural link between small business coverage and individual coverage, enrollment gains in the individual market can be reflective of a somewhat weakening small group market as smaller employers drop coverage,” the report said.
