Florida health care officials have been slow to provide medical coverage for thousands of needy children, despite the Biden Administration approving the state’s plan to extend low-cost health insurance to them. The federal approval would allow 42,000 families to access reduced-rate health insurance through an expansion of the state’s KidCare program.
However, Florida is the only state challenging a federal rule that prohibits dropping children’s coverage for missing premium payments for a 12-month period. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration wants to wait until the new administration is in office to act on the approval.
Child advocates have criticized the state’s delay in implementing the expansion, stressing the importance of providing health care coverage to children with complex medical conditions. The federal decision comes after the state canceled Medicaid for 532,000 children due to a controversial redetermination process.
Florida lawmakers unanimously approved the KidCare expansion in 2023, raising the income threshold for eligibility. The state’s challenge to the continuous coverage rule, which would provide uninterrupted coverage for children under 19 enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, has led to a lawsuit and ongoing legal proceedings.
State officials claim compliance with the rule would result in significant costs, but advocates argue that the health and well-being of children should take precedence. The state’s appeal of the ruling is pending in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal in Atlanta.
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