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

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With less than a month before a new school year begins, Florida KidCare and its partners are reminding parents to take advantage of their child’s health care benefits or to sign them up for health and dental coverage. Most Florida schools require students to have a physical and show proof of insurance to try out for sports teams, and the state of Florida requires certain immunizations before children may enroll and attend school. Through Florida KidCare, sports physicals, vision and hearing tests, routine dental cleanings and pediatric check-ups are all covered.

“The back-to school season is the perfect time to remind parents about the importance of having health and dental coverage for their kids,” said Rebecca Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation (Corporation). “The ultimate way to prepare your kids for a successful school year is to send them back to the classroom healthy and with an insurance plan in place to cover illnesses and any injuries that may arise.”

Studies have shown that a healthy and active child performs better in school, is more focused in the classroom and relates better to their peers. With quality health and dental insurance, children are more likely to stay healthy, which means less sick days away from school this year.

To offer families more local opportunities to learn about and apply for Florida KidCare, the Corporation has recently awarded nine back-to-school grants to community organizations across the state. These organizations will host outreach and application events, giving families time to ask questions and start an application with Florida KidCare experts on-site to help.

The nine back-to-school grantees are:

• Central Florida United Way, Inc.
• Health Council of South Florida
• Leesburg Center for the Arts
• The Players Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children's Hospital
• Central Florida Health Care, Inc.
• Communities In Schools of Palm Beach County, Inc.
• Health Council of Southeast Florida
• Communities In Schools of Florida
• 90Works

For families interested in applying for Florida KidCare, the Corporation has recently debuted a free online eligibility calculator. This tool utilizes two key pieces of information – family size and annual household income – to estimate a family’s monthly premium payment for Florida KidCare coverage. Most families pay nothing at all and many pay only $15 or $20 a month for quality coverage. Enrollment is open year-round, and the application is completely free.

To learn more or apply for free online, visit floridakidcare.org.

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About Florida KidCare
Florida KidCare is the umbrella brand for the four government-sponsored health insurance programs – Medicaid, Florida Healthy Kids, MediKids, and Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan – that together provide a seamless continuum of coverage for Florida children from birth through the end of age 18. Benefits include doctor visits, check-ups, immunizations, prescriptions, emergency care, surgeries, dental care, and more. Most families pay nothing or as little as $15 or $20 per month. Full-pay options are available for those who do not qualify for subsidized coverage. Enrollment is open year-round at floridakidcare.org.

About the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation
The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation is a nonprofit, public-private partnership created by the Florida Legislature to expand access to affordable, child-centered health insurance. The Corporation administers Florida Healthy Kids (healthykids.org), a comprehensive health and dental insurance program for Florida children from age 5 through the end of age 18. The Corporation also provides marketing, customer services and administrative services for Florida KidCare.