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The Florida Senate

2006 Florida Statutes

Section 409.814, Florida Statutes 2006

409.814  Eligibility.--A child who has not reached 19 years of age 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. For enrollment in the Children's Medical Services Network, a complete application includes the medical or behavioral health screening. If, subsequently, an individual is determined to be ineligible for coverage, he or she must immediately be disenrolled from the respective Florida 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 the Florida Kidcare program.

(2)  A child who is not eligible for Medicaid, but who is eligible for the Florida Kidcare program, may obtain health benefits coverage under any of the other components listed in s. 409.813 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 the Florida Kidcare program, 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 currently eligible for or covered under a family member's group health benefit plan or under other employer health insurance coverage, excluding coverage provided under the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation as established under s. 624.91, provided that the cost of the child's participation is not greater than 5 percent of the family's income. This provision shall be applied during redetermination for children who were enrolled prior to July 1, 2004. These enrollees shall have 6 months of eligibility following redetermination to allow for a transition to the other health benefit plan.

(c)  A child who is seeking premium assistance for the Florida Kidcare program through 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 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.

(f)  A child who has had his or her coverage in an employer-sponsored health benefit plan voluntarily canceled in the last 6 months, except those children who were on the waiting list prior to March 12, 2004.

(g)  A child who is otherwise eligible for Kidcare and who has a preexisting condition that prevents coverage under another insurance plan as described in paragraph (b) which would have disqualified the child for Kidcare if the child were able to enroll in the plan shall be eligible for Kidcare coverage when enrollment is possible.

1(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 Medikids program as provided in s. 409.8132 or, if the child is ineligible for Medikids by reason of age, in the Florida Healthy Kids program, 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.

(6)  Once a child is enrolled in the Florida Kidcare program, the child is eligible for coverage under the program for 12 months without a redetermination or reverification of eligibility, if the family continues to pay the applicable premium. Eligibility for program components funded through Title XXI of the Social Security Act shall terminate when a child attains the age of 19. 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 Florida Kidcare 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 authorized, there shall be cooperation between the program components and the affected family which promotes continuity of health care coverage. Any authorized transfers must be managed within the program's overall appropriated or authorized levels of funding. Each component of the program shall establish a reserve to ensure that transfers between components will be accomplished within current year appropriations. These reserves shall be reviewed by each convening of the Social Services Estimating Conference to determine the adequacy of such reserves to meet actual experience.

(8)  In determining the eligibility of a child, an assets test is not required. Each applicant shall provide written documentation during the application process and the redetermination process, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a)  Proof of family income, which must include a copy of the applicant's most recent federal income tax return. In the absence of a federal income tax return, an applicant may submit wages and earnings statements (pay stubs), W-2 forms, or other appropriate documents.

(b)  A statement from all family members that:

1.  Their employer does not sponsor a health benefit plan for employees; or

2.  The potential enrollee is not covered by the employer-sponsored health benefit plan because the potential enrollee is not eligible for coverage, or, if the potential enrollee is eligible but not covered, a statement of the cost to enroll the potential enrollee in the employer-sponsored health benefit plan.

(9)  Subject to paragraph (4)(b) and s. 624.91(4), the Florida Kidcare program shall withhold benefits from an enrollee if the program obtains evidence that the enrollee is no longer eligible, submitted incorrect or fraudulent information in order to establish eligibility, or failed to provide verification of eligibility. The applicant or enrollee shall be notified that because of such evidence program benefits will be withheld unless the applicant or enrollee contacts a designated representative of the program by a specified date, which must be within 10 days after the date of notice, to discuss and resolve the matter. The program shall make every effort to resolve the matter within a timeframe that will not cause benefits to be withheld from an eligible enrollee.

(10)  The following individuals may be subject to prosecution in accordance with s. 414.39:

(a)  An applicant obtaining or attempting to obtain benefits for a potential enrollee under the Florida Kidcare program when the applicant knows or should have known the potential enrollee does not qualify for the Florida Kidcare program.

(b)  An individual who assists an applicant in obtaining or attempting to obtain benefits for a potential enrollee under the Florida Kidcare program when the individual knows or should have known the potential enrollee does not qualify for the Florida Kidcare program.

History.--ss. 39, 57, ch. 98-288; s. 4, ch. 2000-253; s. 22, ch. 2003-405; s. 4, ch. 2004-1; ss. 4, 5, ch. 2004-270; s. 1, ch. 2004-478; s. 50, ch. 2006-1; s. 7, ch. 2006-28; s. 1, ch. 2006-248.

1Note.--Section 2, ch. 2006-248, provides that "[t]he Agency for Health Care Administration shall begin enrollment under s. 409.814(5), Florida Statutes, as amended by this act, by July 1, 2006."