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Empowering Entrepreneurs: Purchasing Co-ops Give Small Businesses An Edge

Howard Brodsky set out to conquer the carpet world. Dan Bleier just wanted to save his family-owned business. But both cherished their independent status in a retail chain, “big box” business world. Now, each realizes success through a purchasing cooperative.

The pair spent almost eight months reviewing different business models, disqualifying one after another. Then they looked at cooperatives. Brodsky and Bleier are founders of two of the estimated 300 purchasing cooperatives in the United States—a sector which serves roughly 50,000 independent business owner-members.

“The co-op was the ultimate choice to bring (buying) scale to local ownership while honoring their differences and valuing their independence. It also allowed us to leverage our efforts to serve their best interests,” says Brodsky, chairman and co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. “By comparison, other business structures didn’t endure.”

Entrepreneurs across the American business landscape—from furniture dealers to funeral service providers—are using co-op power to level the playing field between family-owned enterprises and mega-retailers.

Purchasing co-op owner-members are joining together to increase the competitiveness of their independently owned businesses. By pooling their buying power to acquire inventory and services, they lower operating costs, better respond to competition, and improve their businesses’ overall performance.

Conquering the world

By virtually every business standard, CCA has more than endured. It has exploded. Starting with 13 members, the cooperative has grown to 650 owners who operate 3,600 independent stores around the world. The company reported sales exceeding billion last year and has never experienced an unprofitable quarter in its 24 years of existence. Sales have jumped 325 percent in the past eight years.

“If you give a smart entrepreneur the best tools, he can outplay the big guys. He needs to buy better, brand better, have the best training, best hiring and best marketing,” he adds. Today’s CCA members engage in the flooring, mortgage banking, lighting and bicycling industries. Considered together, CCA’s flooring affiliates represent the largest group of retailers in the world.

Competing effectively

Reading about the success of co-ops like CCA inspired Bleier, who needed to find a way for his family-owned Able Distributors to effectively compete with “the big boys like Home Depot.” He reversed the negative trend by becoming a founding member of Blue Hawk Cooperative in 2005, a Phoenix, Ariz.-based co-op with 200 members—mostly family-owned companies—that own 871 distribution locations in 50 states.

Like typical purchasing co-ops, Blue Hawk offers its members centralized, cost-saving buying plus warehousing, marketing, merchandising and financial reporting—services that give members like Bleier the ability to compete in the marketplace. But competing is not enough, says Lance Rantala, the co-op’s chief executive officer.

“Our plan is to have each Blue Hawk member-owner grow their combined market share by 10 percent,” he says, explaining how partnerships with manufacturers and contractors help build a healthy and profitable business environment for all participants.

Blue Hawk members like the control they enjoy as owners. The co-op business model provides a welcome contrast to buying groups—a common inventory procurement option for independent HVACR distributors—which the members neither own nor govern.

Furniture First’s membership is by invitation only. Prospective members of the Harrisburg, Pa. headquartered co-op undergo an intense evaluation process, complete a 16-page application that includes a detailed credit history. Hartman believes the rigorous process is necessary to determine which retailers will make the best members.

Beyond Buying

Though collective buying of goods and services is at the core of every

Purchasing cooperative, today’s member-owners want— and need—more to succeed. Their co-ops are obliging by offering industry-specific support to enhance almost every facet of business management.

From the beginning, CCA has provided its member-owners with “a better level” of services, marketing, training and merchandising. The co-op offers an extensive selection of online training courses for the employees of member stores. To date, employees have completed almost 300,000 courses.

Blue Hawk members benefit from “extras” such as improved marketing channels, public relations, lobbying efforts, educational and training programs, networking opportunities, sharing business best practices and technology support.

Across the purchasing co-op universe, many consider peer-to-peer networking a bonus of membership. Most co-ops hold membership conferences annually, giving members opportunities for face-to-face discussions, and provide online networking tools to help members share ideas and information.

Surviving Tough Times

Small business is risky business these days. A distressed national economy is not favorable for smaller enterprises, which account for about 99 percent of the country’s business. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it,” Furniture First’s Hartman says about the rising costs and shrinking profits for independent businesses.

Though they can’t deliver miracles, purchasing cooperatives can provide relief to beleaguered small businesses—sometimes in unexpected ways. For instance, a new movement that brings together retailers by common location rather than business sector is gaining steam.

Knowing firsthand the power of purchasing cooperatives, CCA’s Brodsky believes these independent business owners are learning one of the most important realities of co-op life: There is strength in numbers. “In troubled times, you don’t want to be alone. That’s the worst,” he says. “Join a co-op because it gives you all the support and tools to compete.”

Sidebar: How to Start a Purchasing Coop

Whether they sell homebuilding supplies or hamburgers, savvy independent business owners are finding that working cooperatively is the key to surviving and thriving. Rosemary Mahoney, chief executive officer and cooperative developer for Lovingston, Va.-based MainStreet Cooperative Group, offers these start-up tips to entrepreneurs interested in cooperative development:

1. Find friends. Every cooperative begins with a group of like-minded people. Determine if the perceived threat or opportunity you have identified is shared by other independents. Work to form a core of organizers who are respected by other independent business owners as well as vendors. Not getting the right members at the start is a mistake that can lead to failure.

2. Explore the options. Before making plans to organize your own purchasing cooperative, determine whether any other cooperatives are

already serving your sector. If so, can you join that cooperative?

3. Crunch the numbers. Estimate the total amount of your sector’s business volume that is handled by independents. Is this amount of volume significant to your suppliers? Do your suppliers need independent businesses in the sector? The ability to convince vendors to support a start-up cooperative is essential to its success. You must be able to prove that your co-op can deliver a significant amount of volume and bring value to the vendor.

4. Do your homework. Find one or two cooperatives in similar industries and talk with their management and some members to learn more about how cooperatives work. You’ll be surprised at how many cooperators are willing to talk to those seeking more information.

5. Lay a strong foundation. If you decide to go forward in establishing a purchasing cooperative, be sure to work with an attorney who understands this business model. Also, raise enough capital to hire a chief executive officer who is both an industry expert and well respected by vendors and potential members. Trying to self-manage a co-op is a mistake. Most entrepreneurs are too busy running their own business to successfully and simultaneously manage the day-to-day operations of a co-op.

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Tags: Businesses, Coops, Edge, Empowering, Entrepreneurs, give, Purchasing, Small

Guide to Purchasing Your First Home

The current real estate market favors the buyer. Many real estate companies have lots of homes available for sale, and interest rates are low. Furthermore, many sellers are very motivated and willing to do whatever it takes to make a deal. Even though this is a great time to be a first-time buyer, you may not know what to expect or exactly what is expected from you as you begin the home-buying process. This is an overview of exactly what will happen during each stage of the process.

Home purchases often take between 30 and 45 days. How much time will depend on the contract between you and the seller and how eager each side is to close the deal. It also depends on how long it takes your lender to process your loan application.

Below are the basic requirements in the financing, house-hunting, purchase contract, inspection, and closing phases of purchasing a new home.

Initial Financial Phase
- Get your tax records (past two years), assets, bank statements and credit profile ready for inspection
- Interview potential lenders. Remember that interest rates and mortgage terms vary from lender to lender.
- Get a Loan Status Report (LSR) from your lender (this tells sellers that you can make a serious offer).
- Determine your price range

New Home Search Phase
- Find a Realtor that answers questions and is trustworthy.
- Let the Realtor know exactly what you are looking for a home.
- Work with your Realtor on an MLS search based on your individual needs.
- Look at homes and compare prices and features.
- Make an offer on the property that you would like to become your home.

The Purchase Contract Phase
- Your Realtor will help you make an offer. It will include your LSR, attachments and addendums.
- There may be counter offers until buyer and seller agree on a price.
- Once both buyer and seller accept the contract, it becomes a legally-binding document for both parties.

Timeline of the Purchase Process
Once the contract is accepted:
- Your earnest money is deposited. Usually, this is one percent of the total purchase price.
- Escrow starts.

Five days after contract acceptance:
- You, the buyer, complete the loan application and pay financing fees.
- Seller gives the Seller Property Disclosure State (SPDS), a history of the insurance of the property, and any other disclosure statements.
- You respond to the disclosure statements and apply for insurance on the property.
- You schedule (and pay for, unless your contract says otherwise) a home inspection. Rates vary depending on the size of the home and location.
- You review the title commitment.

Ten Days after contract acceptance:
- You request any repairs that the property needs after you get the report back from the home inspector.
- Seller gives information about Home Owner Association (HOA) regulations and fees.

Fifteen Days after contract acceptance:
- Seller must respond to your repair requests.
- You then have the option of accepting the repair offer or canceling the contract. If you cancel based on the repair offer, your earnest money can be refunded.

Getting Ready for Closing

Most buyers are relieved and excited when their closing date finally arrives. If the buyer and seller have met all of the requirements of the sale, then your lender will schedule an appraisal. You have to pay the appraisal fee, which, once again, is based on the size of the home. The appraisal is required by the lender to make sure their loan is secure so the property must appraise for the price of the home. If the home appraises for less, the buyer or the seller can make up the difference in cash, the seller can lower the purchase price or you can cancel the contract.

Three days before the date of closing, all repairs must be done and all of the documentation must be finished as well. Your Realtor will suggest a final walk-through of the property at this time. The title company serves as the recording agency and will put your name on the title once all of the requirements have been met and documents signed. If you have any questions about what will happen during this transaction process, be sure to ask your Realtor and lender, who will be familiar with this entire process.

Del Mar Real Estate

Tags: First, Guide, Home, Purchasing

Is It Advisable For You To Think About Purchasing A Domain Name That Already Exists?

Are you wondering if it can be done that you can buy a domain name that already exists for your own online business? Since we’re aware that many of the domains online are being obtained but the majority of them are not being employed for a while but they do exist. Other than having to go register for a new one, knowing that it is one possible option. As you opt to consider this as an option, you probably want to know what are your pros and cons for having a domain name for your online business.

You may find many explanation why it is less complicated for a webmaster to decide making use of an existing domain other than acquiring a new one. One of the major advantages that you could get from an existing domain is the existing traffic that flowed through that site. Let’s say for example the owner of this site have many customers and clients whom weren’t aware that this domain name was not renewed by its owner, and they keep on coming back to the site every now and then because they were once a client and it is what makes you get the benefit from the old traffic previously owned by the previous owner of the site.

Knowing that there’s a great challenge in acquiring keywords appropriate for each particular niche. Using an existing domain is a plus because the owner of the site alone may have optimized the site itself for SEO purposes. This just means that you are already there, you do not have to begin from scratch trying to acquire a domain name which may not be available anymore. More often it is the reason why webmasters prefer to purchase domain names that already exists rather than to buy new ones.

On the other hand, when you get a domain that already exists, you may still find pitfalls. That is if ever the domain has been identified by search engines as a site which doesn’t fits the SEO standards, your business might be at risk here. That is why it is important for you to work out if the domain you’ll be purchasing is worth the money you’ll be spending, but how? Use a free DNS tool or Free Domain Analysis Tool that can provide you numerous details about the domain. With the use of such tool, you can easily get access to the domain stats and perform some research from there.

Tags: About, Advisable, Already, Domain, Exists, Name, Purchasing, Think

Knowing What You Need To Avoid When Purchasing A House

You need to be aware that as you purchase a house, there are times that you will encounter a lot of different problems. There are a lot of guide that tells you what to do in order to have a smooth purchase, but you also need to know what are the things you must not do, in order not to complicate things and for you not to have unnecessary issues. You need to understand that there are turning points in your transaction and a single mistake can lead to a series of bad decisions that can cost you a lot of money. It is imperative that that you secure yourself and your family against financial problems by making smart decisions when you engage on buying a real estate property. Check these helpful examples that will help you understand thew things to avoid on your ongoing transaction on buying a home.

Avoid career change.
If there is really a need for you to change careers, then consider waiting for your loan to be approved first, and make sure there would be minimal or no impact on your finances as well. The reason for that is because most if not all lenders would always check your career status because this is how they will determine if you have a stable source of income and are able to pay your loan. During this time changing careers would be a bad idea because this will not promote trust and instead will create doubt on the lender’s part on approving your loan. You also need to be aware that as you transfer or move to a different company, you again need to reestablish yourself and prove your capabilities. Having a big adjustment and having a huge set of bills that needs to be paid might be a lot of problems that can cause too much stress and pressure for you and your family.

Avoid making big purchases before you buy a house.
You need to make sure you have a good credit score which is a big factor for your loan to be approved. If the lender checked your credit score and saw that you have recently made a huge purchase, then the lender might have doubts to grant you a loan. The lender might think that you have already a lot of bills to pay and might not be able to handle you loan paymenty to them.

Avoid making another big purchase once you closed the deal on buying a house.
Do not think that the only bill or fee that you have incurred after purchasing a house is the mortgage fee. The reason behind that is because in reality, you will have other things that you need to pay other than the mortgage fee. A lot of people make this kind of mistake because after purchasing a house for example at fountain hills, a lot of people apply for another loan to build a swimming pool, or upgrade their car to an SUV or to the latest sports car being released. Avoid having that same mistake and instead save money and strive to improve your income because purchasing a house is a long-term financial commitment.

Pay attention to details.
You need to scrutinize everything and inspect every detail on your finances and on your purchase. You need to be aware that a lot of times, there are other charges that are not being mentioned and repairs that needs to be done and a lot more minor things that can sum up to a fairly big price. Inspect everything on all the documents that you have and make time to check the house closely. Ask someone that has a lot of experience with this kind of things and do also your own research, so that you will not put in a bad situation.

Tags: Avoid, House, Knowing, Need, Purchasing

Best Deal While Purchasing New Homes Los Angeles

People love to buy home in America. Without being a resident of the country one can get ideal deal while purchasing a home. One needs to have a little study before purchasing ay home in this country. As you are not a resident of this land you need to be a little more cautious while getting some deals over there. The current state of economy explains that this can be the ideal time to buy a home in America. Te current recession enhances the desire of many banks to give loans to buy any home. Numerous banks want to lend money which really enhances the interest for many people living in other countries to buy new home in America without being a resident of this land. Due to such enormous opportunity to have money through banks America has turned out to be the premiere destination of making some asset through purchasing homes. Among the many places in the land Los Angeles is the most popular one and this is the place which really attracts a huge number of people to show their interest to buy new homes in this place. This can be said that this is the peak location for buying new home. More conveniently, the real estate market of this land helps a lot to buy and make real estate asset with very minimal requirement. Such a process minimizes the effort from the end of the customers and people really love to have some great dealings with such effortless process.

Tourists come to visit Los Angeles and sue to its extreme beauty and effortless process of purchase show their interest in the real estate business. People take interest in this place as there are a number of facilities which are essentials for living in a place. This is the reasons for which people show their interest in buying new homes San Diego or new homes orange county or new homes porter ranch or that may be new homes Santa Clarita. Among the many other advantages the facility of lending money is the most important which increases the interest of various people in buying some real estate property in this land. There are lot of banks which really want to give money on lend with minimal effort. Such banks are really interested in providing funds so that you can purchase real estate asset with very less effort.

Any home in Los Angeles is no doubt very big and can provide you with all kind of facilities. Even many people prefer this place as the chance to have a glimpse of any celebrity on the road is very high if you live in such a location. To catch a look of any celebrity is very easy if you are the resident of such a place. This is also a reason for which many people love to buy homes in this place. Survey says many Europeans and Asians prefer this place to buy homes just because this is very easy to see a celebrity on the road in this place. Even a survey in the real estate market shows that there is a flat 20% increase in the number of outstation customers who show their interest in purchasing a home in this place. Being a foreign customer you just need to pay 30% of the original price as the down payment while you are lending money through any bank to purchase a home. Even you can get various real estate agents in Los Angeles who can give you real help in getting best deals. Those agents are really very competent and very knowledgeable to give you best offers.

Tags: Angeles, Best, Deal, Homes, Purchasing

Online Purchasing For Wholesale Dresses Is Totally Enjoyable And Simple

Purchasing for wholesale dresses has never before easy most of all if you have to wait in line on budget price in the market or in your favourite mall. Plenty consumers out there lost opportunity on gaining the discounted prices as some of them are bit loaded to simply went purchasing around. Advatangeous thing that wholesale dresses are at present bid online. Many internet selling websites offer a different of options for shoppers to purchase the type of apparel they desire.

Wholesale dresses have grant fulfillement to plenty purchasers online because they get plenty of benefits in accomplishing so. First is they get the top hip pants, jackets, prom garments, wedding dresses, business attires or simply casual attire which no one else could get. Nearly all websites grants them a chance to shape up what they are looking for in a apparel. Next benefit is that gain the wholesale dresses at a cut value. The bigger number or products they ordered the bigger cut they get in return. Lastly, they received the purchased wholesale dresses in a on time where they needed to put on these apparel. The internet shopping website already has mailing selections to cater their customer¯ mailing demand.

Another great reasons why individuals choose for wholesale dresses online are due to of the evenness and efforlessness of making so. Shoppers can simply put their orders online, fee through different payment selections like credit card, wire transfer, PayPal, or additional online settlement methods which they are really pleasurable of using.

Through purchasing online, you could continuously get advantage of buying wholesale dresses anytime as this system is becoming widespread and in demand today. Even you are finding to buying seasonal or non seasonal clothes, there is other option place to accomplish it but go online at your very favourable hour, and inside you home.

Tags: Dresses, Enjoyable, Online, Purchasing, Simple, Totally, Wholesale

Online Purchasing For Wholesale Dresses Is Totally Enjoyable And Simple

Purchasing for wholesale dresses has never before easy most of all if you have to wait in line on budget price in the market or in your favourite mall. Plenty consumers out there lost opportunity on gaining the discounted prices as some of them are bit loaded to simply went purchasing around. Advatangeous thing that wholesale dresses are at present bid online. Many internet selling websites offer a different of options for shoppers to purchase the type of apparel they desire.

Wholesale dresses have grant fulfillement to plenty purchasers online because they get plenty of benefits in accomplishing so. First is they get the top hip pants, jackets, prom garments, wedding dresses, business attires or simply casual attire which no one else could get. Nearly all websites grants them a chance to shape up what they are looking for in a apparel. Next benefit is that gain the wholesale dresses at a cut value. The bigger number or products they ordered the bigger cut they get in return. Lastly, they received the purchased wholesale dresses in a on time where they needed to put on these apparel. The internet shopping website already has mailing selections to cater their customer¯ mailing demand.

Another great reasons why individuals choose for wholesale dresses online are due to of the evenness and efforlessness of making so. Shoppers can simply put their orders online, fee through different payment selections like credit card, wire transfer, PayPal, or additional online settlement methods which they are really pleasurable of using.

Through purchasing online, you could continuously get advantage of buying wholesale dresses anytime as this system is becoming widespread and in demand today. Even you are finding to buying seasonal or non seasonal clothes, there is other option place to accomplish it but go online at your very favourable hour, and inside you home.

Tags: Dresses, Enjoyable, Online, Purchasing, Simple, Totally, Wholesale

Online Purchasing For Wholesale Dresses Is Totally Enjoyable And Simple

Purchasing for wholesale dresses has never before easy most of all if you have to wait in line on budget price in the market or in your favourite mall. Plenty consumers out there lost opportunity on gaining the discounted prices as some of them are bit loaded to simply went purchasing around. Advatangeous thing that wholesale dresses are at present bid online. Many internet selling websites offer a different of options for shoppers to purchase the type of apparel they desire.

Wholesale dresses have grant fulfillement to plenty purchasers online because they get plenty of benefits in accomplishing so. First is they get the top hip pants, jackets, prom garments, wedding dresses, business attires or simply casual attire which no one else could get. Nearly all websites grants them a chance to shape up what they are looking for in a apparel. Next benefit is that gain the wholesale dresses at a cut value. The bigger number or products they ordered the bigger cut they get in return. Lastly, they received the purchased wholesale dresses in a on time where they needed to put on these apparel. The internet shopping website already has mailing selections to cater their customer¯ mailing demand.

Another great reasons why individuals choose for wholesale dresses online are due to of the evenness and efforlessness of making so. Shoppers can simply put their orders online, fee through different payment selections like credit card, wire transfer, PayPal, or additional online settlement methods which they are really pleasurable of using.

Through purchasing online, you could continuously get advantage of buying wholesale dresses anytime as this system is becoming widespread and in demand today. Even you are finding to buying seasonal or non seasonal clothes, there is other option place to accomplish it but go online at your very favourable hour, and inside you home.

Tags: Dresses, Enjoyable, Online, Purchasing, Simple, Totally, Wholesale

Online Purchasing For Wholesale Dresses Is Totally Enjoyable And Simple

Purchasing for wholesale dresses has never before easy most of all if you have to wait in line on budget price in the market or in your favourite mall. Plenty consumers out there lost opportunity on gaining the discounted prices as some of them are bit loaded to simply went purchasing around. Advatangeous thing that wholesale dresses are at present bid online. Many internet selling websites offer a different of options for shoppers to purchase the type of apparel they desire.

Wholesale dresses have grant fulfillement to plenty purchasers online because they get plenty of benefits in accomplishing so. First is they get the top hip pants, jackets, prom garments, wedding dresses, business attires or simply casual attire which no one else could get. Nearly all websites grants them a chance to shape up what they are looking for in a apparel. Next benefit is that gain the wholesale dresses at a cut value. The bigger number or products they ordered the bigger cut they get in return. Lastly, they received the purchased wholesale dresses in a on time where they needed to put on these apparel. The internet shopping website already has mailing selections to cater their customer¯ mailing demand.

Another great reasons why individuals choose for wholesale dresses online are due to of the evenness and efforlessness of making so. Shoppers can simply put their orders online, fee through different payment selections like credit card, wire transfer, PayPal, or additional online settlement methods which they are really pleasurable of using.

Through purchasing online, you could continuously get advantage of buying wholesale dresses anytime as this system is becoming widespread and in demand today. Even you are finding to buying seasonal or non seasonal clothes, there is other option place to accomplish it but go online at your very favourable hour, and inside you home.

Tags: Dresses, Enjoyable, Online, Purchasing, Simple, Totally, Wholesale

Purchasing Individual Health Insurance Policies In Florida

Florida, like most states, grants limited guarantees to anybody who wishes to purchase individual health insurance and, whilst your capacity to purchase medical insurance will depend to a certain extent upon your current state of health, there are certain situations in which health insurance companies in Florida are compelled to offer to insure you.

Usually, health insurance companies are permitted to ask questions about your medical history and to refuse to insure you if you are suffering from a current medical problem or have a history of particular conditions. More usually however insurance companies will offer to cover you, although they will either exclude specific conditions from your cover or increase your premium and cover these conditions. In Florida however there is an exception to this rule in the case of a history of breast cancer if you have completed a course of treatment for the condition a minimum of two years prior to your current application for insurance. In cases where this applies an insurer is not permitted to deny you insurance.

When you have been covered by a group insurance plan for at least three months and later lose your cover then, within Florida, you can buy a conversion plan and an insurance company have to offer you the choice of a minimum of two policies. Additionally, companies cannot inflict a new exclusion for pre-existing conditions. However, they are allowed to enforce an exclusion clause where you have not completed any previous qualifying period.

Where you do not meet the qualifications for a conversion plan but are HIPAA eligible then once again an insurance company must not refuse to cover you and must once again offer you a choice of a minimum of two policies. To be HIPAA eligible you will need to have had a minimum of eighteen months of creditable and continuous coverage (the final day of which has to have been under a group health insurance policy) and have used up any eligible COBRA or continuation coverage. Additionally, you cannot presently have any health insurance (or be covered by a group policy that is about to expire) and cannot be eligible for a further group policy or for Medicaid or Medicare. An application for cover on the basis of HIPAA eligibility needs to be completed within 63 days of losing your previous cover.

In cases where an insurer or HMO can no longer provide cover, because they have for instance become insolvent or you have moved to a location out of their service area, then other insurance companies are required to offer to provide you with cover whatever your state of health.

Newborn children, adopted children and children placed for adoption must be covered under the terms of a parent’s individual insurance plan for 31 day from the date of birth, adoption or placement.

Under Florida law a child who is disabled will continue to enjoy cover where dependent coverage has been in issue past the age when cover would normally be ended, provided the child is unable to support himself (or herself) as a consequence of mental or physicall disability and is principally dependent upon the planholder for support.

The cover offered by an individual health insurance plan in Florida will be largely dependent upon the plan that is bought but Florida law requires that all policies provide cover for specific benefits such as childhood immunizations, mammograms and diabetes treatment. The full list of mandatory benefits is updated every so often and a current list is available from the Florida Department of Financial Services.

MedicalHealthInsuranceToday.com provides information on affordable health insurance and on getting free online individual health insurance quotes for Florida

Tags: Florida, Health, Individual, Insurance, Policies, Purchasing