kidcare: more than 70,000 new kids and counting...
by Stacy Howard, Contributing Editor, Consumer Affairs
State agencies and community partners ramp up statewide Back to School outreach campaign to help uninsured families apply for Florida KidCare.
Jennifer, a preschool teacher in Tallahassee, noticed that Zachary had been absent from school. Zachary was an eager four-year-old, always ready to help put toys away and always excited for circle time. Zachary returned from a week’s absence. When Jennifer asked Zachary’s mother, Diane, if something was going on, Diane told Jennifer that Zachary had strep throat for the past week and was running high fevers. Diane also mentioned the price of the antibiotics for Zachary was $150. “Wow, that’s a lot of money,” said Jennifer.“Doesn’t your health insurance cover medications?”
Diane said that she did not have health insurance for her family and that private insurance rates were as high as $700 a month, well outside of her ability to afford coverage. Diane said she would have to work a lot of overtime to pay for the cost of the medication and the doctors’ visits. Jennifer told Diane about the Florida KidCare health insurance program.
Diane’s story is not so unusual. After learning about Florida KidCare from her son’s preschool teacher, Diane applied for coverage online in a few easy steps. Soon after, Zachary joined the 1.4 million children enrolled in Florida KidCare. Since last summer, the state- and federally-subsidized program has enrolled 70,000 more children who now have access to preventive care such as regular doctor visits, immunizations, dental check-ups, and prescriptions. Like Diane, many families pay $20 or less per month; most pay nothing at all.
The growing number of kids that enroll in Florida KidCare is the result of a year-long outreach campaign led by Governor Charlie Crist, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Alex Sink, and the leaders of several state agencies who have dedicated resources and staff to promote the program. One out of ten is too many children without health insurance, so with the help of business and community groups, the state will target the families of the half million uninsured children in Florida and help them apply for Florida KidCare as they prepare for the new school year.
“We have a simple message: Florida KidCare is open for business and is providing quality health insurance at an affordable price,” said CFO Sink, who chairs the Healthy Kids Board. “With Florida KidCare, many working families are ensuring their children have access to preventative health care.”
This year, the Governor and legislature approved funding for 38,000 more uninsured children to join Florida KidCare and each state agency has pledged to increase opportunities for families to apply for the program. In addition to having a visible presence at back to school events, the agencies are using its resources to promote the program and reach eligible families. For example, the Agency for Workforce Innovation is distributing thousands of Florida KidCare applications through its statewide network of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten providers.
“Early health care is vitally important to educational success, and we enthusiastically support Governor Crist and the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation in their effort to enroll families in the Florida KidCare health insurance program,” said Monesia Brown, Director, Agency for Workforce Innovation.
“We are committed to ensuring children’s well-being and educational success. Healthy children attend more days of programming, are able to play and to learn, and their families more fully experience the rich benefits of their Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten or child care programs. We will continue to support and promote the Florida KidCare to all the families in our great state.”
For more information or to apply for benefits, visit the Florida KidCare website. Families can also call 1-888-540-5437 to receive an application by mail.
