Healthy Kids Press Contact
Ashley Carr, Chief Marketing Officer,
(850) 701-6160, [email protected].

MIAMI – The Florida Covering Kids & Families Statewide Coalition today led a business roundtable discussion with speakers from the United Way of Florida and the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation that fostered strategy development for engaging employers in the benefits that the Florida KidCare insurance program has to offer their employees. Through Florida KidCare, the State of Florida offers health insurance for children from birth through age 18, even if one or both parents are working.

“Florida KidCare is known for helping families get affordable, child-focused health coverage, and business owners are seeing it benefit their employees in a big way,” said Ted Granger, President of the United Way of Florida. “Regardless of whether or not an employer provides health insurance options to employees, that employer can take comfort in knowing this option exists for families to get access to the health care services children need to stay healthy.”

Florida KidCare is made up of four components:

• MediKids: children ages 1 through 4
• Florida Healthy Kids: children ages 5 through 18
• Children's Medical Services:
  • Medicaid: Clinically eligible children with special health care needs from birth through 20
  • Title XXI Florida KidCare: Clinically eligible children with special health care needs from birth through 18
• Medicaid: children birth through 18

More than 377,000 of Florida’s children are uninsured, and nearly 230,000 of them are likely eligible for subsidized coverage through Florida KidCare. In Miami-Dade County, there are approximately 30,490 uninsured children; in Broward County, 24,681; and in Palm Beach County, 18,924.

"It is our task as Florida KidCare champions to ensure the public is aware that enrollment is open year-round and that families are identified and assisted so their children receive the health and dental coverage they need,” said Joe Davis, Chief Marketing Officer for the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. “Because Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach are the three counties with the most uninsured children in the state, we are working closely with business and community leaders to maintain the momentum and help families get health insurance coverage they can afford.”

Florida KidCare insurance covers doctor visits, well-child check-ups, vaccinations/shots, hospital visits, surgeries, prescriptions, emergencies, as well as vision, hearing, dental and mental health services. Monthly premiums depend on a household’s size and income. Most families pay $15 or $20 a month.

“Health insurance equips parents with the peace of mind in knowing their children are covered in case of illness or an emergency,” said Ashley Brunson, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Florida Covering Kids & Families Statewide Coalition. “Florida KidCare’s comprehensive child-centered services also allow families to remain actively engaged in their child’s preventive health.”

Partners that were recognized and commended by the Florida Covering Kids & Families Statewide Coalition for stellar involvement and leadership in the business community included The Children’s Trust, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital of Miami Children’s Health System, The Parent Academy of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Amerigroup Florida.

About Florida KidCare

Florida KidCare provides health care coverage to Florida children from birth through the end of age 18 through four programs: MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids, Children’s Medical Services and Medicaid. Most families enrolled in Florida KidCare pay just $15 or $20 per month. Monthly premiums depend on household size and income. Families that don’t qualify for subsidized coverage can pursue the full-pay option. Benefits of Florida KidCare include doctor visits, check-ups, immunizations, emergencies, surgeries, prescriptions, dental coverage and more. Health and dental coverage is available year-round at www.floridakidcare.org.

About Florida Covering Kids & Families Statewide Coalition

The Florida Covering Kids & Families Statewide Coalition is a group with broad representation from Florida's agencies, organizations, key leaders from child advocacy groups, child care organizations, provider groups, private health plans, private coverage programs for low-income children, the business community, minority organizations and numerous state agencies. Priorities of the Coalition include: access to and enrollment in Florida KidCare, maintenance of high level communication channels, and a focus on disparities within communities and how those local communities will approach the various population groups that need to be reached with messages about access and enrollment to Florida KidCare. Learn more at http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/chiles/fckaf/what-we-do.htm

About the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation

Florida Healthy Kids offers comprehensive, affordable, child-centered health insurance for children ages 5 through 18 not eligible for Medicaid and is part of the Florida KidCare program. Florida Healthy Kids coverage—available through both subsidized and full-pay options—includes immunizations, doctor visits, dental care, emergency care, hospital stays and more. Coverage through Florida Healthy Kids can be purchased for as little as $15 or $20 a month and can be applied for year-round at www.healthykids.org.

About the United Way of Florida

The United Way of Florida is a statewide association representing Florida’s 32 United Ways on legislative and administrative issues, training, and disaster preparation, response and recovery issues, among others. The mission of the United Way of Florida is to enhance Florida United Ways' efforts to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another. Learn more at www.uwof.org.