Daytona State partners with Florida KidCare to promote low-cost healthcare services

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2019) – In collaboration with the Florida College System, Daytona State College has partnered with Florida KidCare to promote opportunities for parents to access affordable, quality healthcare for their children from birth through age 18. All Florida children are eligible, even if one or both parents is working or in school.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for eligible staff, students and the general public to secure quality healthcare coverage for their children," said Magnolia Varon, a DSC nursing instructor and KidCare liaison. "We want as many people as possible to know that this is an affordable option, even if they don't qualify for free health and dental services under this plan."

Nearly 150,000 children in Florida currently live without health insurance, but may be eligible for low-cost or completely free health insurance through Florida KidCare. With four unique Florida KidCare programs – Medicaid for Children, MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids and the Children's Medical Services Managed Care Plan – the simple and free application process can help parents identify the best fit for the family.

KidCare coverage options include doctor visits and check-ups; hospital stays and surgeries; immunizations and prescriptions; emergency room visits; and vision, hearing, dental, mental health services and more.

Most families pay nothing for KidCare coverage. Many families pay as little as $15 or $20 a month. Families not eligible for subsidized coverage may purchase Florida KidCare at the full-pay monthly premium, which is competitively priced. A free online eligibility calculator is available for Florida families interested in applying. This tool utilizes two key pieces of information — family size and annual household income — to estimate a family's monthly premium payment for Florida KidCare coverage.

Parents can apply year-round for Florida KidCare, which will match each applicant with the right option based on their children's ages, household size and family income. Parents can apply online or call 1-888-540-KIDS (5437) to apply over the phone or have an application mailed directly to them.

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MORE: Offering more than 100 certificate, associate and bachelor’s degree programs, Daytona State College is the leader in education and workforce training needs of Volusia and Flagler counties and beyond for more than 60 years. The College enrolls nearly 25,000 students a year at its seven instructional sites, with graduates serving in critical fields including healthcare, emergency services/public safety, business, education, hospitality, engineering, technology, digital media, and more. 

Daytona State has been recognized as a leader in higher education numerous times, consistently by U.S. News & World Report, which ranks the College among the Top Tier Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. The U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center has ranked DSC among the top 50 most affordable public four-year institutions in the country, with less than half the tuition of the national average. Community College Week, a leading publication in higher education, annually continues to feature the college in its list of Top 100 Associate Degree Producers. And U.S. News & World Report has ranked DSC among its Top Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans multiple times.

For enrollment information, visit Admissions’ Frequently Asked Questions page.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Chris Thomes, Chris.Thomes@DaytonaState.edu

Marketing & Communications, Marketing@DaytonaState.edu

A Member of the Florida College System

Daytona State College prohibits discrimination and provides equal opportunity in employment and education services to all individuals without regard to age, ancestry, belief, color, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, gender, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. For more details, read our policy at DaytonaState.edu/hr/equalaccess.html or contact Lonnie Thompson, Director of Equity and Inclusion, (386) 506-3000  ext. 3973, or Thompsl@DaytonaState.edu. The Office of Equity and Inclusion is located at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.