The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Board of Directors recently approved contracts for three health insurance companies to provide subsidized Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and full-pay health insurance coverage through the Florida Healthy Kids plan, which serves school-aged children from age five through the end of age 18. Effective January 1, 2020, Aetna Better Health of Florida (Aetna) and Simply Healthcare Plans, Inc. (Simply) will provide coverage statewide, and Community Care Plan will provide coverage in eight Southeast and South Florida counties. Families will have the opportunity of selecting their preferred health plan, allowing more children to stay with their current primary care provider to ensure a smoother transition.
The Florida Healthy Kids subsidized plan currently serves nearly 193,000 children who are eligible for the subsidized CHIP plan based upon their family’s total household size and annual income, among other eligibility factors. Families whose annual household incomes exceed the eligibility criteria for the subsidized plan can secure coverage for their children through the Florida Healthy Kids full-pay plan, which currently serves approximately 15,500 children throughout the state.
Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Board Chair Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos said, “With these new contracts come exciting free benefits for our members, including transportation assistance, tobacco/vaping and substance use cessation programs, swim lessons and weight management tools, as well as 24-hour nurse and behavioral health lines, giving parents even more reasons to consider Florida Healthy Kids for their children’s insurance needs. I look forward to the next phase of this process, which includes communicating these beneficial changes to our current and prospective members.”
Interim Chief Executive Officer Jeff Dykes said, “We continually strive to reach new heights in care, quality and customer service, and I’m confident today’s announcement further demonstrates our commitment to the children of Florida. Coupled with the changes we’ve achieved to make our full-pay plan more affordable, I am excited for the future of the Florida Healthy Kids program.”
Florida Healthy Kids members in the subsidized plan pay $15 or $20 per month based on household income, and currently, Florida Healthy Kids members in the full-pay plan pay $215 per month per child for health-only coverage and $230 per month per child for health and dental coverage. Starting January 1, 2020, members in the full-pay plan will experience enhanced benefits to match the benefits of subsidized members, which will include the elimination of medical and pharmacy deductibles, the elimination of coinsurance and the lowering of all copays.
The Florida Healthy Kids plan regions mirror Medicaid’s plan regions, which divide Florida into 11 segments based on population size and geography. Aetna and Simply will provide coverage in all 11 regions across the state. Community Care Plan will provide coverage in regions 9,10 and 11, which include: Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Information on all plan regions can be found at healthykids.org/benefits/providers/map.php.
In the coming months, Florida Healthy Kids will begin notifying families of the upcoming changes and will assist these families with transitioning their coverage. A dedicated section of the Florida Healthy Kids website will be activated to include a comprehensive provider directory, along with additional information to help families understand their options and decide which plan may be best suited for their family.
Learn more about the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation at healthykids.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.
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.
