Healthy Kids Press Contact,
Ashley Carr, Chief Marketing Officer,
(850) 701-6160, [email protected].
May 2, 2006
Florida lawmakers approve $1 million in matching community grants for marketing and outreach; Families to get more enrollment opportunities
TALLAHASSEE – A record 42,374 Florida families applied for Healthy Kids and KidCare in the month of April and the legislature is putting additional money into outreach and marketing to encourage more parents to enroll their uninsured children in the state subsidized healthcare program.
State Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach and Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Cape Coral joined Healthy Kids Executive Director Rose Naff at the state capitol on Tuesday to announce $1 million is available for community-based organizations willing to help families sign up for benefits.
“We need to do more to let eligible families know they can apply now for affordable health insurance through Healthy Kids and KidCare,” Rep. Bean said during a media briefing. “We’re seeing an enrollment rebound. Community organizations can keep it going by helping identify more innovative methods to enroll eligible children.”
Since March, Healthy Kids has aired television and radio commercials across the state to promote the program. Now, it is seeking community organizations to receive matching grants from the Healthy Kids Corporation to promote the program and establish additional opportunities for eligible families to apply for benefits.
“There’s a million dollars in matching grants up for grabs for organizations willing to invest in new partnerships with Healthy Kids. Their investment will generate $2 million worth of community outreach and give more Florida children access to health insurance,” said Sen. Saunders.
Sen. Saunders and Rep. Bean are leading the outreach effort with a campaign called “Lend a Helping Hand.” Both legislators are pledging to make their home district offices one-stop locations for families to apply for Healthy Kids benefits. They are also challenging their colleagues in the legislature to do the same.
Over the summer, Rose Naff said Healthy Kids aims to set up 200 new locations where families can go to receive help and information about the enrollment process. Each new site will have identifying signage, promotional materials, applications and trained staff to help families enroll. All of the enrollment sites will be posted on the Healthy Kids Web site.
For the past three months, there has been a steady increase in the number of children receiving health benefits through Healthy Kids. To date, 215,959 children are currently enrolled in the program.
“The legislature is making it possible for us to enroll approximately 38,000 more uninsured children in the coming year,” said Naff. “Families should take advantage of this opportunity and apply now.”
The Healthy Kids program offers affordable, quality health insurance for children 18 years of age and under, whose parents can’t afford private health coverage but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Children enrolled in the program receive regular doctor’s visits, dental check-ups, and immunizations.
Healthy Kids and KidCare offers affordable, quality health insurance for children 18 years of age and under, whose parents can’t afford private health coverage but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Children enrolled in the program receive regular doctor’s visits, dental check-ups, and immunizations.
Healthy Kids Press Contact,
Ashley Carr, Chief Marketing Officer,
(850) 701-6160, [email protected].
