Protecting Our Kids with Florida KidCare

Disclosure: I am a KidCare ambassador. All thoughts and opinions are purely my own. A few years back, I remember standing up at a meeting to talk about Florida KidCare.

One of my sorority sisters, a school administrator for many years, stood up in support of the program and told the story that many kids that were eligible for Florida KidCare, in fact, were not signed up for it.

That brought me back to the memory of my sister needing health insurance and my parents finding out about Florida KidCare after going a couple of years uninsured. I am not sure who my mom heard it from but I know she was grateful. It was such a relief to have her daughter covered.

Florida KidCare also covered the Frog Princess after I lost my job.

It is why when Florida KidCare reached out to me about partnering to spread the message, I nearly tripped over my own feet to say yes.

There are so many misconceptions around Florida KidCare. My goal during these next few months is to dispel as many as possible while at the same time providing facts, figures and anything else you might need to the end goal of enrolling kids that need insurance.

Well, how do you know they need insurance, Sili?

There are 257,000 children currently uninsured in Florida. Of that 257,000, 147,000 of them are eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Florida KidCare. That’s nearly 60%!

These are facts. I firmly believe that if parents and guardians were made aware of Florida KidCare and some of the facts, many of them would jump to enroll their children.

What kind of facts, Sili?

• Open enrollment is year-round (yup, you can apply today).
• Children are eligible for Florida KidCare even if one or both parents are employed.
• With Florida KidCare, you may be able to keep your pediatrician (I was able to when I was enrolled in the program).
• Most families pay nothing, and many pay as little as $15 or $20 a month.
• Legally residing immigrant children are eligible for coverage and immigration status will never be asked.

With the new school year already underway here in Florida, it’s a good time to apply for Florida KidCare. Don’t know if you’ll qualify? Head on over and start an application. It won’t cost a thing to apply and you will gain the peace of mind knowing that should your child fall ill (and for routine checkups), you’ll have them covered for treatment. Also covered? Your pockets.

Have you heard of Florida KidCare? Do you know of a child that could use it?