KidCare Action Needed Now

Call NOW to make sure kids get and keep their health coverage!

What to Say:
Urge them to change the rules of the KidCare program to ensure that children transition smoothly between different KidCare components. Tell them that there is still time for them to add language to the budget to prevent kids from unnecessarily falling through the cracks and losing their health coverage.
An estimated 17,000 children lose their Medicaid eligibility each month when they become too old to qualify or when their family's income increases. However, the majority remain eligible for another component of KidCare (i.e., Medikids or Healthy Kids), because their family's income remains below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Advocates had hoped that these important and long-sought improvements to KidCare would be addressed in the earlier budget negotiation process, but they weren't. Nevertheless, $13.4 million in State funds are included in the budget to provide 38,000 additional KidCare slots. Children transitioning from Medicaid would access these slots.

Note: You may get questions about whether this KidCare funding should be shifted to instead expand coverage to assess and treat children with autism. It is NOT an either/or decision. These issues are separate, and they are both much-needed. Florida can afford to do both.

PLEASE CALL:

Senate President Ken Pruitt: 850-487-5229
House Speaker Marco Rubio : 850-488-1450
Governor Charlie Crist: 850-488-4441 (ask for healthcare staff)

There are only a few days left in the legislative session. Please call now!

Thanks to the Florida Child Health Care Coalition for providing the basis for this alert.