Polk HealthCare Plan Marks 100 Years As Free Screenings Run Through Oct. 31
Polk County marked a century of providing healthcare for residents who cannot afford it. The program has seven free screenings, and enrollment stops are listed on the calendar before the end of October.
The Polk HealthCare Plan and the county’s Health and Human Services Division have been running free health screenings and on-site enrollment help across Polk all month. The remaining stops are open to residents:
- Oct. 23, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Mission of Winter Haven, 180 E. Central Ave., Winter Haven
- Oct. 27, 7 to 10 a.m., Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 2929 Hardin Combee Road, Lakeland
- Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., New Divine Church of God, 640 Burns Ave., Lake Wales
- Oct. 28, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Impact Church, 1201 Burns Ave., Lake Wales
- Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fall Veteran and Community Job Fair, 799 Johns Ave., Haines City
- Oct. 30, 6 to 8 p.m., Ghostly Gala, 710 Snively Ave., Eloise
- Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Peaceful Believers Church, 510 S. Charleston Ave., Fort Meade
Residents can also apply in person at the county’s administrative office in Bartow. The plan lists its online application portal as unavailable, and member services takes questions at (863) 533-1111.
Eligibility reaches further this year than it ever has. Commissioners voted July 21 to raise the income ceiling from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level, an amendment to the county’s indigent health care ordinance. Under the guidelines now in effect, a single applicant can earn up to $3,990 a month, or $47,880 a year, and a household of four up to $8,250 a month, or $99,000 a year.
Applicants must live in Polk County full time, be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and either carry no health coverage or pay premiums worth at least 9.12% of household income. The county asks for a Social Security number, a Florida driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID, one proof of residency such as a utility bill or vehicle registration, and one proof of income such as a month of pay stubs or last year’s tax return.
The 100-year mark traces back to Polk General Hospital, which opened in 1926 with one doctor, five nurses and two student nurses. It served residents for 69 years before closing in 1995. Commissioners approved the Polk HealthCare Plan in 1999, paid for at first out of county property taxes. Voters approved a half-cent sales surtax in 2004 and renewed it in 2016, extending the money through 2044. That surtax is now the primary funding source, and a Citizens Healthcare Oversight Committee watches how it is spent.
More than 1,000 providers take part in the county’s safety net. In fiscal year 2024-25, it served 38,564 residents, who received 601,625 services. Less than 7,000 residents took part in the full healthcare plan during that period. Members can get primary and specialty care, hospital and urgent care, radiology and lab testing, and prescription medications.
“For more than 100 years, Polk County has made a commitment to caring for residents who have limited access to health care,” Commissioner Becky Troutman said, adding that continuing that commitment “means preserving a dedicated funding source so our medically vulnerable residents can get the care they need.”
Joy Johnson, the county’s Health and Human Services administrator, said the money comes from everyone who shops here. “Residents and visitors help fund this program through the half-cent sales surtax,” she said, “including plan members when they make taxable purchases in the county.” What began with a hospital, she added, “has grown into an extensive program that is locally funded and administered, with local oversight.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the Polk HealthCare Plan?
Full-time Polk County residents who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents, have little or no household income, and either carry no health coverage or pay insurance premiums worth 9.12% or more of household income.
What is the income limit for the Polk HealthCare Plan?
The limit is 300% of the federal poverty level, raised from 200% by county commissioners at a July 21, 2026, public hearing. That works out to $47,880 a year for one person and $99,000 a year for a household of four.
How do I apply for the Polk HealthCare Plan?
Applications are taken in person at the county’s Bartow administrative office, and free enrollment help is offered at the October screening events. The plan lists its online portal as unavailable. Member services answers questions at (863) 533-1111.
What documents do I need to apply?
A Social Security number, a valid Florida driver’s license or U.S. government-issued photo ID, one proof of income such as a month of pay stubs or last year’s tax return, and one proof of residency such as a utility bill or vehicle registration.
How is the Polk HealthCare Plan paid for?
A half-cent sales surtax approved by voters in 2004 and renewed in 2016 through 2044 is the primary funding source. A Citizens Healthcare Oversight Committee monitors the spending.
Sources: “Polk County Celebrates 100 Years of Providing Health Care Access to Residents in Need,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, Oct. 21, 2026; “Free Health Screenings and Polk HealthCare Plan Enrollment October 2026,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, undated; “Income Limit Increase for Polk HealthCare Plan Eligibility,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, July 23, 2026; “Eligibility and Requirements,” Polk HealthCare Plan, polkhealthcareplan.net, July 21, 2026; “Community Health Care,” Polk County Government, polkfl.gov, undated.
