The Florida Senate

409.814  Eligibility.--A child whose family income is equal to or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level is eligible for the Florida Kidcare program as provided in this section. In determining the eligibility of such a child, an assets test is not required. An applicant under 19 years of age who, based on a complete application, appears to be eligible for the Medicaid component of the Florida Kidcare program is presumed eligible for coverage under Medicaid, subject to federal rules. A child who has been deemed presumptively eligible for Medicaid shall not be enrolled in a managed care plan until the child's full eligibility determination for Medicaid has been completed. The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation may, subject to compliance with applicable requirements of the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Children and Family Services, be designated as an entity to conduct presumptive eligibility determinations. An applicant under 19 years of age who, based on a complete application, appears to be eligible for the Medikids, Florida Healthy Kids, or Children's Medical Services network program component, who is screened as ineligible for Medicaid and prior to the monthly verification of the applicant's enrollment in Medicaid or of eligibility for coverage under the state employee health benefit plan, may be enrolled in and begin receiving coverage from the appropriate program component on the first day of the month following the receipt of a completed application. For enrollment in the Children's Medical Services network, a complete application includes the medical or behavioral health screening. If, after verification, an individual is determined to be ineligible for coverage, he or she must be disenrolled from the respective Title XXI-funded Kidcare program component.

(1)  A child who is eligible for Medicaid coverage under s. 409.903 or s. 409.904 must be enrolled in Medicaid and is not eligible to receive health benefits under any other health benefits coverage authorized under ss. 409.810-409.820.

(2)  A child who is not eligible for Medicaid, but who is eligible for the Florida Kidcare program, may obtain coverage under any of the other types of health benefits coverage authorized in ss. 409.810-409.820 if such coverage is approved and available in the county in which the child resides. However, a child who is eligible for Medikids may participate in the Florida Healthy Kids program only if the child has a sibling participating in the Florida Healthy Kids program and the child's county of residence permits such enrollment.

(3)  A child who is eligible for the Florida Kidcare program who is a child with special health care needs, as determined through a medical or behavioral screening instrument, is eligible for health benefits coverage from and shall be referred to the Children's Medical Services network.

(4)  The following children are not eligible to receive premium assistance for health benefits coverage under ss. 409.810-409.820, except under Medicaid if the child would have been eligible for Medicaid under s. 409.903 or s. 409.904 as of June 1, 1997:

(a)  A child who is eligible for coverage under a state health benefit plan on the basis of a family member's employment with a public agency in the state.

(b)  A child who is covered under a group health benefit plan or under other health insurance coverage, excluding coverage provided under the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation as established under s. 624.91

(c)  A child who is seeking premium assistance for employer-sponsored group coverage, if the child has been covered by the same employer's group coverage during the 6 months prior to the family's submitting an application for determination of eligibility under the Florida Kidcare program.

(d)  A child who is an alien, but who does not meet the definition of qualified alien, in the United States.

(e)  A child who is an inmate of a public institution or a patient in an institution for mental diseases.

(5)  A child whose family income is above 200 percent of the federal poverty level or a child who is excluded under the provisions of subsection (4) may participate in the Florida Kidcare program, excluding the Medicaid program, but is subject to the following provisions:

(a)  The family is not eligible for premium assistance payments and must pay the full cost of the premium, including any administrative costs.

(b)  The agency is authorized to place limits on enrollment in Medikids by these children in order to avoid adverse selection. The number of children participating in Medikids whose family income exceeds 200 percent of the federal poverty level must not exceed 10 percent of total enrollees in the Medikids program.

(c)  The board of directors of the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation is authorized to place limits on enrollment of these children in order to avoid adverse selection. In addition, the board is authorized to offer a reduced benefit package to these children in order to limit program costs for such families. The number of children participating in the Florida Healthy Kids program whose family income exceeds 200 percent of the federal poverty level must not exceed 10 percent of total enrollees in the Florida Healthy Kids program.

(d)  Children described in this subsection are not counted in the annual enrollment ceiling for the Florida Kidcare program.

(6)  Once a child is enrolled in the Florida Kidcare program, the child is eligible for coverage under the program for 6 months without a redetermination or reverification of eligibility, if the family continues to pay the applicable premium. Effective January 1, 1999, a child who has not attained the age of 5 and who has been determined eligible for the Medicaid program is eligible for coverage for 12 months without a redetermination or reverification of eligibility.

(7)  When determining or reviewing a child's eligibility under the program, the applicant shall be provided with reasonable notice of changes in eligibility which may affect enrollment in one or more of the program components. When a transition from one program component to another is appropriate, there shall be cooperation between the program components and the affected family which promotes continuity of health care coverage.

History.--ss. 39, 57, ch. 98-288; s. 4, ch. 2000-253; s. 22, ch. 2003-405.