Florida KidCare
Last updated August 2026
Florida KidCare is one application that places your child into the right one of four programs: Medicaid for kids, MediKids (ages 1-5), Healthy Kids (5-19), or the CMS Health Plan for children with special health needs. You do not pick; the system sorts by age and income. Apply free at floridakidcare.org or call 1-888-540-5437, weekdays 7:30 to 7:30 Eastern, where an agent can complete the whole application by phone.
The prices are the story. Up to about $43,890 a year for a family of four, coverage is free through Medicaid. Up to $52,140, it is $15 a month; up to $66,000, $20 a month, and that one premium covers every eligible child in the household. No deductibles ever, and copays never top $10.
One caution about a widely reported change: the law raising subsidized coverage to $90,000 for a family of four was signed in 2023, but it is still not in effect. Above $66,000, only full-pay coverage exists today, at $248 to $276 per child monthly. If your income is near the line, apply anyway and let them do the math.
Enrollment runs year-round, decisions usually land within a couple of weeks, and coverage starts the first of the month after approval and first premium. A mid-year raise does not end a child's coverage; the listed ways to lose it are nonpayment, a missed annual renewal, turning 19, or moving away.
If DCF denies your child Medicaid, do not start over: the application transfers to KidCare automatically and instructions come by mail. The reverse works too. One form, all doors.
Phone 1-888-540-5437
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Florida children from birth through the end of age 18; one application checks all four KidCare programs
- Cost is based on household size and income; families over the subsidized limits can buy in at full pay
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Apply at floridakidcare.org, or call 1-888-540-5437 (weekdays 7:30-7:30 ET) and an agent completes it by phone.
- 2
Have income info, the kids' Social Security numbers, and citizenship or immigration details; identity is mostly verified electronically.
- 3
Wait for the decision letter, usually within about two weeks, up to six if documents are needed.
- 4
Pay the first premium ($15 or $20 for the whole household, or $0 on Medicaid); coverage starts the first of the next month.
- 5
Keep premiums current and complete the annual renewal; those are the two main ways kids lose coverage.
- 6
Denied Medicaid at DCF? Wait for KidCare's letter; the application transfers automatically.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much does Florida KidCare cost?
$0 on the Medicaid tier (to about $43,890 a year for a family of four), then $15 a month to $52,140, or $20 to $66,000, covering all the kids in the household together. Above that, full-pay is $248 to $276 per child.
Did KidCare expand to $90,000 incomes?
Not yet. The 2023 law raising subsidized coverage to 300 percent of poverty is still not in effect as of 2026. Subsidized coverage currently ends at $66,000 for a family of four.
When can I apply?
Any day of the year. KidCare has no open enrollment window, and decisions typically come within a couple of weeks.
Which of the four programs will my child get?
KidCare decides by age and income: Medicaid at the lowest incomes, MediKids for ages 1-5, Healthy Kids for 5-19, and the CMS Health Plan for children with special health care needs.
Will a raise cost my child coverage mid-year?
No. Income changes mid-year are not on the list of ways to lose coverage. Nonpayment, missed renewals, turning 19, or leaving Florida are.
Are there copays or deductibles?
No deductibles in any KidCare program, and copays, where they exist at all, are capped at $10.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
See all Florida programs →Free · Private · No account needed