More than 700-thousand Florida kids are living without health insurance. A recent study ranked Florida 49th in the country for its high number of uninsured kids, but there is hope for Florida families. The Florida KidCare Program provides free and low cost health insurance to kids regardless of their family’s income.

Wendy Brown has a disability that keeps her from working and her husband’s job doesn’t provide health insurance. “There’s lots of things, and lots of health issues that any child deals with now days.”

Wendy brought her teenage sons to the state capitol Monday to share her story and talk about the free health coverage they receive through Florida KidCare. “I would really hate to think that my kids would have to be on a waiting list for a vital surgery.”

Florida KidCare is available to all Florida families. Premiums are based on income. Most recipients pay nothing; others pay just 20 dollars a month. “Last year the economy forced a quarter of a million Florida kids into the program.”

Rich Robleto, the program’s director, says people who are not used to asking for help are finding out about the program and signing up their kids.

“We spend a lot of time trying to work through unemployment offices, different agencies, like the agency for workforce innovation, to make sure that families knew that if they lost their coverage, KidCare was available to them.”

One in five kids in Florida is living without health insurance. KidCare is working with several state agencies, including the Department of Education to try and reach those families.

The mother in our story found out about KidCare 10 years ago in a flyer sent home with her son from school. Schools are still sending those flyers home, but there is also a website where families can go to apply. The address is www.floridakidcare.org.