Florida KidCare is the state’s umbrella health insurance program for children from birth through age 18, offering free or low-cost coverage to families who earn too much for traditional Medicaid but can’t easily afford private insurance. Most qualifying households pay $20 or less per month to cover all their eligible children, with no deductible and copays capped at $10. One application screens your child for all four parts of the program and places them in the right one automatically.
Who Qualifies
Your child is eligible if they are under 19, live in Florida, and are either a U.S. citizen or hold a qualifying immigration status. There is no assets test, so savings, vehicles, and property don’t count against you.1Florida House of Representatives. Florida Code 409.814 – Eligibility Eligibility is based on household size and gross annual income, measured against the Federal Poverty Level.
Subsidized coverage is currently available to families earning up to 200% of the FPL. Florida law authorizes eligibility up to 300%, and the federal government approved a waiver for that expansion in December 2024, but the state has not yet begun enrolling families at the higher income levels. As of early 2026, 200% is the practical cutoff for subsidized premiums. Families above that limit can still enroll at the full-pay rate.1Florida House of Representatives. Florida Code 409.814 – Eligibility
In real dollars, the 2026 Federal Poverty Level breaks down this way for common household sizes:2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – Detailed Tables
- Family of 2: 100% FPL is $21,640; 200% is $43,280
- Family of 3: 100% FPL is $27,320; 200% is $54,640
- Family of 4: 100% FPL is $33,000; 200% is $66,000
- Family of 5: 100% FPL is $38,680; 200% is $77,360
Non-citizen children can qualify if they are refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants, certified victims of trafficking, or lawful permanent residents who either previously held refugee or asylee status or have had their green card for at least five years.3Florida Department of Children and Families. Immigration Issues Regarding Florida KidCare Undocumented children are not eligible.
The Four Programs Under the KidCare Umbrella
KidCare is not a single plan. Your application routes your child into one of four components based on age, income, and health needs, so you don’t pick one yourself.4Online Sunshine. Florida Code 409.813 – Florida KidCare Program Components and General Provisions
- Medicaid covers children ages 0–18 in the lowest-income families at no cost. Every application is screened for Medicaid eligibility first.
- MediKids covers ages 1–4 whose family income is above the Medicaid threshold but at or below 200% of the FPL.
- Florida Healthy Kids covers school-age children, ages 5–18, in the same income range. This is also the component with the full-pay option for families above the subsidy limit.
- The Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan serves children ages 1–18 with special health care needs, such as chronic conditions requiring coordinated specialty care.
What It Costs
Monthly premiums depend entirely on your household income:
- Medicaid: $0.
- Income between 133% and 158% of FPL: $15 per month for all eligible children in your household.
- Income between 158% and 200% of FPL: $20 per month for all eligible children in your household.
- Full-pay: $248.21 per month per child for MediKids, or $276 per month per child for Florida Healthy Kids with dental coverage.
The subsidized $15 and $20 premiums are household rates, which matters a lot if you have more than one child. Full-pay premiums apply per child.5Florida KidCare. Florida KidCare – Cost6Florida KidCare. 2025 General Annual Income Guidelines
When your child gets care, some services require a copay, but copays never exceed $10. There is no annual deductible on any KidCare plan.5Florida KidCare. Florida KidCare – Cost
What’s Covered
All four components provide broad coverage. Benefits include preventive and sick doctor visits, emergency room care, hospital stays, ambulance transport, prescriptions, immunizations, dental cleanings and fillings, annual eye exams and glasses, and mental health services including therapy and substance use disorder treatment.7Florida KidCare. Comprehensive, Child-Centric Benefits If you’re unsure whether a specific service is included, contact your child’s assigned health plan after enrollment.
How to Apply
You can apply three ways: online through the Florida KidCare Parent Portal at FloridaKidCare.org, by mailing a paper application, or by calling 1-888-540-5437 to apply by phone.8Florida KidCare. Frequently Asked Questions The online route is fastest, and the same Parent Portal account is what you’ll use later to check status, pay premiums, and renew.
Before you start, gather:
- Social Security numbers for each child applying. A parent’s SSN is optional but can speed up processing.9Florida KidCare. Florida KidCare Application
- Income documentation such as pay stubs, W-2s, or your most recent federal tax return. Written documentation is only required if the program can’t verify your income electronically.1Florida House of Representatives. Florida Code 409.814 – Eligibility
- Immigration document type and ID number if the child is not a U.S. citizen.
- Information about any employer-sponsored health insurance available to your family.
If you mail a paper application, send copies rather than originals.
After You Apply
The program checks Medicaid eligibility first, since Medicaid is the most comprehensive and costs nothing. If your child doesn’t meet Medicaid thresholds, the application moves to the appropriate component based on age and circumstances.
A complete application with all supporting documents usually gets a decision within about two weeks. If the program has to request more information from you, expect roughly six weeks.8Florida KidCare. Frequently Asked Questions Your application stays valid for 120 days from the date it’s received; if you aren’t enrolled by then, it expires and you’ll have to reapply or reactivate it.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 409.8134 – Florida KidCare Program Eligibility Determination Process
For MediKids and Florida Healthy Kids, coverage starts on the first day of the month after your application is approved and your first premium is paid.11Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. A Guide for Potential Florida Healthy Kids Enrollees Pay that first invoice promptly; coverage doesn’t begin until payment clears.
If your child qualifies for the Medicaid component, coverage can be backdated up to 90 days before the month you applied.12Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Medicaid Retroactive Eligibility Medical bills from that three-month window can potentially be covered, so if your child had unpaid expenses, tell the provider once eligibility is confirmed and ask them to resubmit the claims.
Renewing Each Year
KidCare coverage isn’t permanent. Families go through an annual renewal to confirm their children still qualify. About two months before your renewal date, you’ll get a notice asking you to verify your household information. The program tries to confirm what it can electronically, so you may only need to provide what the system couldn’t verify on its own.13Florida KidCare. Renew – Florida KidCare
Renewing through the Parent Portal is easiest, but you can also mail, email, or fax your documents. One exception: if your child is in the Medicaid component, renewal runs through the Department of Children and Families, not the KidCare Parent Portal.13Florida KidCare. Renew – Florida KidCare
Don’t wait for renewal to report major life changes. Report income changes, a move, or a new baby right away. These shifts can affect both eligibility and your premium, and skipping them can create problems when your renewal comes up.