TALLAHASSEE, FL – Officials from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration tested a free personal health record for the state's 2.6 million Medicaid recipients on Wednesday.

The agency previewed the first phase of Florida's Internet-based PHR called My Florida Health eBook and My Florida eBaby Book. In the first phase of the pilot Medicaid recipients will be able to track information about their healthcare visits, procedures, medications, immunizations, allergies and more.

According to state officials, Florida is the first state to offer a free PHR for Medicaid recipients. The PHR is being funded by a partnership between Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, Availity, LLC, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based health information network provider, HealthTrio, LLC, an e-health applications and business systems provider in Centennial, Colo., and Healthwise, a nonprofit organization based in Boise, Idaho.

"With Healthwise content, the Agency for Health Care Administration can offer Florida's Medicaid recipients easy access to health information that can help them take an active role in their own health and in their family's health," said Donald W. Kemper, Healthwise chairman and CEO. "The right information at the right time can help a person with diabetes better manage their blood sugar or help a new mom know what to do when her child is sick."

Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration will be meeting with St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa, Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Pensacola, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando to discuss a pilot of My Florida eBaby Book with Medicaid recipients prior to the official launch.

Officials said that within the next 30 days, Florida's Medicaid recipients will be able to access their Internet-based PHR at www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov using their Medicaid ID number.

"Thanks to this extraordinary partnership with private sector leaders we were able to develop free personal health records for every Medicaid recipient in the state of Florida," said Secretary Holly Benson. "We are the first state in the country to do this, and we believe that this is a tremendous opportunity to empower our recipients with their health care information and to give them the tools they want and need to improve their health."

In the second phase of My Florida Health eBook and My Florida eBaby Book, the Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration will populate each Medicaid recipient's PHR with claims data from services paid for by Florida Medicaid. The recipients will also be able to view their PHR in Spanish.