HMOs will bear brunt of SunStar bill.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida's health maintenance organizations will pay at least $3.5 million to cover the costs of bailing out SunStar Health Plan Inc.

To date, the program has paid $2.7 million covering the outstanding medical costs of people once insured by the now-insolvent firm.

And the costs are just beginning. HMO Consumer Assistance Program Manager Bruce Platt anticipates that number eventually will soar to $11 million. By contrast, the bailouts of four Florida HMOs in the past three years have totaled just $6.7 million.

The SunStar bill is an attempt on the part of insurance regulators and others to extend health care coverage to 77,000 …