Florida Blue’s offices on Riverside Avenue will house 200 new employees through its Novitas Solutions Inc. subsidiary and the company will pursue local and state incentives for the venture.
“Novitas Solutions provides administrative services processing government-sponsored health care programs on behalf of the federal government. We have already begun recruiting for these candidates and we hope to have the positions filled by mid-July,” said Pat Geraghty, chairman and CEO of Florida Blue.
Novitas Solutions is the new name for the former Highmark Medical Services of Pennsylvania, which was purchased by Jacksonville-based Diversified Service Options, a Florida Blue subsidiary, in December.
About half of the 200 jobs available will be clerical and applicants will need a high school diploma, said Diana Haramboure, senior vice president and chief administrative office of First Coast Service Options, also owned by Diversified Service Options.
The salaries for the jobs will range from $40,000-$60,000.
First Coast Service Options previously applied for a Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund to help it bring jobs to Jacksonville and plans to amend its application to include Novitas Solutions, said Haramboure.
The tax refund is available for companies that create high-wage jobs in targeted high value-added industries. The incentive includes refunds on corporate income, sales, ad valorem, intangible personal property, insurance premium and certain other taxes.
First Coast spokesman Harold Barnett said in an email that the previously approved incentives were for First Coast Service Options, but since Novitas is also a subsidiary company under Diversified Service Options, First Coast Service Options is requesting an amendment be made to the previous QTI application that would allow it to be used for the jobs.
The amendment will need to be approved by City Council.
The available jobs can be viewed at www.novitas-solutions.com/careers.html.
356-2466