This post is a collaborative partnership with Florida KidCare.
As parents, we strive to give our children the best life has to offer so we can put them on the path to a future that has endless opportunities and possibilities. I was recently a speaker and exhibitor at The 24th Annual Family Cafe featuring the Governor’s Summit on Disabilities. The Family Cafe is the largest cross-disability event in the nation. Every year, attendees learn about resources, products, and services that can help improve their daily lives.
In my session, I discussed how to identify fully remote jobs that can be performed from anywhere and working with brands. It is commonly believed that remote work can be performed in any location. However, statistics show around 95% of remote jobs often require employees to be based in a specific location. The other topic of the session was engaging with brands to create a mutually beneficial relationship that may assist special needs families. Thankfully, my session was a full house. The personal and overwhelmingly positive responses were so moving. It also highlighted the astounding need for families to have that type of flexibility and capability to generate income.
Twenty years ago, I was working as a public relations executive for the White House, federal contractors, and the government. In May 2002, I was at a trade show booth I was responsible for at the Department of Transportation. One aspect of my job duties was recruiting, hiring, and helping people in the process of working directly for the U.S. government. Among other things, I was a young Latina American woman with a bachelor’s degree in pre-law, traveling across the 50 states, a senior-level spokesperson for the federal government, and responsible for a large budget.
Fast forward 20 years later and I am in Orlando at the Family Cafe with my own booth as Dr. Joscelyn Ramos Campbell and my spouse, boys, including a special needs son, next to me as support. Humbly, the session I presented on remote work and working with brands to assist special needs families, impacted attendees. Through hugs and tears, they shared their special needs parenting journeys with me. The hardship, loss, loneliness, joy, true love, fight, and constant advocacy. I understood them because I am them. I am a special needs mom and a mom of neurotypical siblings. And I, too, have a medical disability.
Amid the conversations, the same general theme was always underlying, which is the lack of information and resources. There is no major statewide central hub to find information for disabilities. No matter where a person was located, after a child was diagnosed, a family was faced with the same questions: What do we do? What therapists should we see? Where are the nearest resources? In the Latino community, it is even harder because of the language barrier.
Florida KidCare offers affordable, high-quality health and dental insurance for children from birth up to a child’s 19th birthday. Florida KidCare’s goal is to increase the number of insured children in Florida. Roughly 343,000 children in Florida are currently living without health insurance, and more than 176,000 of them are eligible for low-cost health insurance through Florida KidCare.
Currently, the highest number of Florida’s uninsured children live in five counties: Broward, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange and Palm Beach. These counties also have large Hispanic populations.
Florida KidCare works to close that gap by offering four plans that are either free or low-cost for most families, including families with children who have special needs. Plans include free, subsidized, and full-pay options based on household size and household income. Most families pay nothing at all, and many pay as little as just $15 or $20 for all children in the household. Enrollment is available year-round at floridakidcare.org (so there is no waiting for a qualifying event or a once-a-year enrollment period).
Benefits include but are not limited to:
- Doctor Visits
- Vision and Hearing
- Dental Care
- Hospital Stays
- Mental Health
- Immunizations
- Prescriptions
- Emergencies
And More!
Families can quickly estimate their potential monthly premium by using the Florida KidCare cost calculator tool. All parents need to do is input their household size and yearly income. Afterward, in a matter of seconds, the calculator will display the estimated monthly premium.
Families who do not qualify for free or subsidized coverage may purchase a competitively priced full-pay plan – with prices often lower than private or work-related family insurance plans.
The four plans are the following:
- Medicaid for Children
- MediKids
- Florida Healthy Kids
- Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan (special health care needs plan)
Medicaid is offered to Florida children from birth up to a child’s 19th birthday and families must meet the low-income requirement. A parent or caregiver’s citizenship does NOT impact eligibility, which is often a reason parents do not apply for insurance because they are not citizens. Lawfully residing immigrant children are eligible for Florida KidCare without a waiting period, and the parents’ immigration status will never be asked.
As it was expressed by so many of the attendees, it can feel so isolating being the parent or caregiver of a child with disabilities or neurological diversities. When our youngest was diagnosed with Autism, 6 years ago, it felt like we were alone. Even with all previous knowledge about special needs, (because we have educators in our family with special needs training) and with a completely supportive family, nothing prepares you for a diagnosis of your child. Understanding this experience first-hand, when I became the Special Needs Pastor at my church, we started respite care, support groups, and a parent-recommend list of providers in the area to help special needs families. Florida KidCare has community connections, including resources for food, shelter, money, education, and jobs.
Florida KidCare families can trust in-network physicians and develop a trusted relationship with their pediatrician. Florida KidCare offers a wide range of services and benefits to keep your child covered whenever life’s unpredictable challenges pop up. Florida KidCare gives caregivers and parents peace of mind by keeping children safe and healthy through access to necessary and quality care.
Go to floridakidcare.org and apply today!
(En Español)
Florida KidCare cubre consultas médicas, inmunizaciones, medicamentos prescriptos, emergencias, dental, vision y más. Para obtener más información, visite floridakidcare.org.
