Oct. 31--Almost one in five Florida children have no health insurance, and the number has grown 10 percent in the past three years despite efforts to cover them, health advocates said in a new study released Thursday.

Florida now has the second highest rate of uninsured children in the nation, behind Texas, as more employers cut back on health coverage and rising prices make coverage unaffordable, said Families USA, an advocacy group for low-income issues.

South Florida, with a relatively high number of lower-wage service jobs and minority families who are more likely to be uninsured, leads the state in uninsured children.

The growing numbers in Florida and nationally underline the need for Congress to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program and to funnel money from an economic stimulus program into more children's coverage, said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. President Bush vetoed the program's expansion last year.

"That will determine whether children get the preventive care they need so they can remain healthy," Pollack said. Those two actions would cover almost half of the 800,000 uninsured Florida children, he estimated.

The new study found that an average of 18.8 percent of Florida children had no coverage from 2005 to 2007.

Yet Florida child health experts estimate that three-fourths would qualify for various subsidized, federal-state insurance programs, including KidCare and Medicaid. Parents can cover all children under KidCare for as little as $15 per month.





The state has the money to enroll 250,000 children in KidCare but covers only 210,000. At its peak, before budget cuts in 2004, KidCare covered 336,000. Because of the under-enrollment, more than $400 million in grant money sits unused.

Many families don't sign up because the state has not done a good job telling them about the programs, after the Legislature cut advertising money, said state Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston.

"We have had a very poor system of outreach and education," Rich said. "These are some of the hardest-to-reach families. You can't just put an ad on TV. You have to go into the communities."

State Medicaid officials, who oversee KidCare, agree and are asking for $3 million in outreach money in next year's budget, triple the present amount, state Medicaid Director Dyke Snipes said.

"We're covering every child who comes to the program," Snipes said. "We need to get more to come to the door."

Bob LaMendola can be reached at blamendola@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4526 or 561-243-6600, ext. 4526.

Get coverage

Ways to get low-cost health coverage for uninsured children:

Florida KidCare -- Covers all uninsured children in a family for as little as $15 per month, depending on income. Those making more than twice the federal poverty level, or $42,400 for a family of four, can still buy coverage at a sharp discount.

Call 888-540-5437 or visit floridakidcare.org.

Florida Medicaid -- Provides free or low-cost coverage for children in families with incomes under the federal poverty level of $21,200 for a family of four. Higher incomes are allowed for children under age 5.

Call 866-762-2237 or visit www.fdhc.state.fl.us/medicaid.



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