By Trimmel Gomes, Florida News Connection
New data reveals a stark trend in Florida's health coverage for children. The state's child uninsured rate rose from 7.4% to 8.5% between 2022 and 2024, representing an additional 67,000 uninsured kids. Joan Alker, executive director, Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, said the consequences are severe and points directly to the state's actions.
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"Florida had a net enrollment decline during its unwinding period of about 20% of children covered in Florida's Medicaid program, over half a million," she said. "And that was a concern to us at the time because most children who are uninsured today are actually eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, but they're just not enrolled."
Alker's analysis shows this decline propelled Florida to rank 46th in the nation for its rate of uninsured children. She noted that many children who lost coverage likely remained eligible but were dropped due to procedural errors. The Florida Department of Children and Families, which managed the eligibility and unwinding process, published information stating its goal was to ensure those no longer eligible for Medicaid were transitioned to other coverage options.
Jennifer Blake Wiedmeyer, a mother in Fort Myers, said the statistics represent a real-world crisis in access to care. Her 10-year-old son Hayden, who has a rare chromosome defect and multiple heart conditions, was dropped from coverage two years ago.
"Since then, Hayden has been uninsured," she explained. "He has already missed critical follow-up care, including his biannual cardiology appointment, his echocardiogram, and EKG that he needed to have done 2 years ago, which has been overdue since April of 2024. These are not optional visits; these are life-saving checkups."
Wiedmeyer noted that had the state implemented a bipartisan KidCare expansion passed in 2023, which raises the income eligibility threshold, her son would already be covered. The implementation is delayed due to an ongoing legal dispute between the state and the federal government over a separate rule requiring 12 months of continuous coverage for children.
Scott Darius, executive director with Florida Voices for Health, said the state's failure to implement the already-passed KidCare expansion is causing unnecessary suffering.
"Unfortunately, the promise of that pretty remarkable achievement has not been realized because Florida continues to drag its feet in terms of implementation," he explained.
The expansion, which would raise the income threshold for KidCare, is stalled due to a legal dispute between the state and federal government over premium non-payment rules. This leaves an estimated 42,000 children in limbo. Advocates from groups such as the Florida Policy Institute are urging state leaders to resolve the impasse and implement the expansion to stem the tide of children losing coverage.
