Bill to promote Florida KidCare on life support

AP/Miami Herald, May 1, 2009

The Florida Senate has passed a measure that would streamline the Florida KidCare program, but the bill may never get heard in the House. Republicans there say they are worried the changes will cost too much at a time when the state is struggling to balance the state budget. Supporters, however, dispute that the bill will cost the state anything extra. They say there's enough money in the existing program to take care of the estimated $15 million cost. Florida KidCare is an umbrella program that includes the Healthy Kids program, which provides subsidized health insurance to families to those who make up to 200% of the federal poverty line. There are nearly 176,000 children enrolled in the Healthy Kids program, which also gets matching federal money.