Am I reading this correctly? 70,000 will lose coverage? (FL)

[soup]

Plan would insure neediest Floridians

>The board also gave preliminary approval to increasing the available slots for KidCare, a state and federally financed health insurance program. But under the proposal, only the poorest children would be eligible.

Now, almost 70,000 of the program's 276,000 children qualify for some coverage from their parents' employers, but those parents choose KidCare because it's cheaper. At the same time, the program has a waiting list of more than 70,000 children.

"If that wasn't there, there wouldn't be a waiting list," Jennings said of the children eligible for other insurance. "KidCare was created for children who don't have anything."<
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/10/State/Plan_would_insure_nee.shtml


So -
In order to 'increase' the available slots for KidCare - if your employer offers insurance coverage, even though you can't afford it, your child will be dropped from the KidCare program?

Is that what this is saying?


First, they offer the program for families whose income puts them above the level to qualify for medicaid - (abject poverty).

Then, as the children get older, or their health needs dictate, the plan changes and they're moved into a program under a different name.

MediKids - For children ages 1 through 4, not Medicaid eligible.
Florida Healthy Kids - For children ages 5 through 18, not Medicaid eligible.
Children's Medical Services Network - For children ages 0 through 18, with special health care needs.
Medicaid - For children ages 0 through 18, no cost health care coverage for children within certain income guidelines.


But, wait -

That changed last year, in June - enrollment caps were put into place and as the children get older, or their health needs change, no longer is the switch of coverage seamless. They have to re-apply and go onto the waiting list for coverage.

Premiums went from 15$ a month to 20$ a month.
Co-pay from 3$ to 5$.
Dental was capped at 750$ a year.
Outreach Program eliminated 100%. Guess that falls under the category of if people don't know about it, they won't try to use it. shrug.
Signed by Governor 6/9


and then there's this from December 16th:

Low-income parents missing a single $15 to $20 monthly premium for KidCare will lose their children's subsidized health insurance for six months under a new state policy.
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/news/local/7500979.htm

That's a little harsh, isn't it?


Finally, back to my original question - If I'm reading this correctly, 70,000 slots are to be eliminated because the parent's employer offers insurance coverage of some sort.

Doesn't that put 70,000 families right back where they started? with no affordable health insurance.

[ClintonTyree]

1. Compassionate Conservatism.................

at it's finest. Leave no child behind, unless it's cost effective. Things like this are going to be the Bush legacy. I'm going to move back to New York. I hate cold weather, but I hate what both Bush's have done to Florida even more.

[soup]

2. Sure feels like a double-whammy, doesn't it?

Don't know that it would be better elsewhere, but as soon as I think it can't get much worse here... it does.

Were you here in 2001?

jeb calling frantic special sessions trying to balance a budget that his billions of dollars of taxcuts for the wealthy had drained -

After 9/11, I wondered how long it would take for the blame of the state's financial problems to be redirected. Think it took something like 6 weeks. I'd have to dig out my files on an old computer (currently taking a well-deserved rest) to document it, but remember thinking then that the timing of the attacks sure saved jeb's skin - a.k.a. poll ratings.

*jr seems to wear teflon and jeb seems to have duck feathers - everything rolls off

[scarletlib]

3. That would be correct

My son and his wife will be affected by this. Her job doesn't offer any health insurance. His does but iit is almost a third to a half of his net salary. He can't afford to pay for it. The Florida Kid Care at least allowed them to have medical care for the two children.

I'm not surprised. Jeb and his repug buddies have constantly assailed the poor in this state. Meanwhile he has given tax breaks to the rich in this states and continues to do so. When he took office he had a budget surplus thanks to Lawton Chiles and now just like his brother he has pissed it all away on tax cuts for the uber-rich.

[soup]

4. I'd rather have been wrong.

I'm sorry to hear that your family (or any family for that matter) will be affected by these cuts.

Being without health insurance makes it a constant worry. Getting sick without insurance is a nightmare. Found that out when I got cancer. Oh, what fun that was. I can't begin to imagine what a parent with the additional stress of trying to get treatment for an uninsured child facing a life-threatening disease, such as cancer, would be put through.

Not that it helps much, but my best to your son and his family.

[kdmorris]

5. This is one of his more stupid proposals

Not surprising, but many of the lower paid employees in our company had to get self only insurance through the company this year, and enroll their kids in Kidcare. They simply can't afford the insurance costs that the company is passing on to us this year ($188 every two weeks for families, up from $102 last year).

This is going to cause severe hardships for them. Man, I just can't believe what these people get away with.

[cap]

6. so if you work at Walmart as a clerk, your kid will be dropped

from KidCare. If your employer has insurance that is only affordable by the execs, you can't have kid care!

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. This will be over for Republicans the day a blonde hair blue eye child

without insurance gets sick enough to become a poster child for the Republican's short-sightedness.