(1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “William G. ‘Doc’ Myers Healthy Kids Corporation Act.”
(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—
(a) The Legislature finds that increased access to health care services could improve children’s health and reduce the incidence and costs of childhood illness and disabilities among children in this state. Many children do not have comprehensive, affordable health care services available. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation provide comprehensive health insurance coverage to such children. The corporation is encouraged to cooperate with any existing health service programs funded by the public or the private sector.
1(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation serve as one of several providers of services to children eligible for medical assistance under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Although the corporation may serve other children, the Legislature intends the primary recipients of services provided through the corporation be school-age children with a family income equal to or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level, who do not qualify for Medicaid. It is also the intent of the Legislature that state and local government Florida Healthy Kids funds be used to continue coverage, subject to specific appropriations in the General Appropriations Act, to children not eligible for federal matching funds under Title XXI.
(3) ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE-FUNDED ASSISTANCE.—Only the following individuals are eligible for state-funded assistance in paying Florida Healthy Kids premiums:
(a) Residents of this state who are eligible for the Florida Kidcare program pursuant to s. 409.814.
(b) Notwithstanding s. 409.814, a legal alien who is enrolled in the Florida Healthy Kids program as of January 31, 2004, who does not qualify for Title XXI federal funds because he or she is not a lawfully residing child as defined in s. 409.811.
(4) NONENTITLEMENT.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as providing an individual with an entitlement to health care services. No cause of action shall arise against the state, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, or a unit of local government for failure to make health services available under this section.
(5) CORPORATION AUTHORIZATION, DUTIES, POWERS.—
(a) There is created the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation.
(b) The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall:
1. Arrange for the collection of any family, local contributions, or employer payment or premium, in an amount to be determined by the board of directors, to provide for payment of premiums for comprehensive insurance coverage and for the actual or estimated administrative expenses.
2. Arrange for the collection of any voluntary contributions to provide for payment of Florida Kidcare program premiums for children who are not eligible for medical assistance under Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act.
3. Subject to the provisions of s. 409.8134, accept voluntary supplemental local match contributions that comply with the requirements of Title XXI of the Social Security Act for the purpose of providing additional Florida Kidcare coverage in contributing counties under Title XXI.
4. Establish the administrative and accounting procedures for the operation of the corporation.
5. Establish, with consultation from appropriate professional organizations, standards for preventive health services and providers and comprehensive insurance benefits appropriate to children, provided that such standards for rural areas shall not limit primary care providers to board-certified pediatricians.
6. Determine eligibility for children seeking to participate in the Title XXI-funded components of the Florida Kidcare program consistent with the requirements specified in s. 409.814, as well as the non-Title-XXI-eligible children as provided in subsection (3).
7. Establish procedures under which providers of local match to, applicants to and participants in the program may have grievances reviewed by an impartial body and reported to the board of directors of the corporation.
8. Establish participation criteria and, if appropriate, contract with an authorized insurer, health maintenance organization, or third-party administrator to provide administrative services to the corporation.
9. Establish enrollment criteria that include penalties or waiting periods of 30 days for reinstatement of coverage upon voluntary cancellation for nonpayment of family premiums.
10. Contract with authorized insurers or any provider of health care services, meeting standards established by the corporation, for the provision of comprehensive insurance coverage to participants. Such standards shall include criteria under which the corporation may contract with more than one provider of health care services in program sites. Health plans shall be selected through a competitive bid process. The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall purchase goods and services in the most cost-effective manner consistent with the delivery of quality medical care. The maximum administrative cost for a Florida Healthy Kids Corporation contract shall be 15 percent. For health care contracts, the minimum medical loss ratio for a Florida Healthy Kids Corporation contract shall be 85 percent. For dental contracts, the remaining compensation to be paid to the authorized insurer or provider under a Florida Healthy Kids Corporation contract shall be no less than an amount which is 85 percent of premium; to the extent any contract provision does not provide for this minimum compensation, this section shall prevail. For an insurer or any provider of health care services which achieves an annual medical loss ratio below 85 percent, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall validate the medical loss ratio and calculate an amount to be refunded by the insurer or any provider of health care services to the state which shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund unallocated. The health plan selection criteria and scoring system, and the scoring results, shall be available upon request for inspection after the bids have been awarded.
11. Establish disenrollment criteria in the event local matching funds are insufficient to cover enrollments.
12. Develop and implement a plan to publicize the Florida Kidcare program, the eligibility requirements of the program, and the procedures for enrollment in the program and to maintain public awareness of the corporation and the program.
13. Secure staff necessary to properly administer the corporation. Staff costs shall be funded from state and local matching funds and such other private or public funds as become available. The board of directors shall determine the number of staff members necessary to administer the corporation.
14. In consultation with the partner agencies, provide a report on the Florida Kidcare program annually to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the Commissioner of Education, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
15. Provide information on a quarterly basis to the Legislature and the Governor which compares the costs and utilization of the full-pay enrolled population and the Title XXI-subsidized enrolled population in the Florida Kidcare program. The information, at a minimum, must include:
a. The monthly enrollment and expenditure for full-pay enrollees in the Medikids and Florida Healthy Kids programs compared to the Title XXI-subsidized enrolled population; and
b. The costs and utilization by service of the full-pay enrollees in the Medikids and Florida Healthy Kids programs and the Title XXI-subsidized enrolled population.
16. Establish benefit packages that conform to the provisions of the Florida Kidcare program, as created in ss. 409.810-409.821.
(c) Coverage under the corporation’s program is secondary to any other available private coverage held by, or applicable to, the participant child or family member. Insurers under contract with the corporation are the payors of last resort and must coordinate benefits with any other third-party payor that may be liable for the participant’s medical care.
(d) The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall be a private corporation not for profit, organized pursuant to chapter 617, and shall have all powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, the power to receive and accept grants, loans, or advances of funds from any public or private agency and to receive and accept from any source contributions of money, property, labor, or any other thing of value, to be held, used, and applied for the purposes of this act.
(6) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.—
(a) The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall operate subject to the supervision and approval of a board of directors chaired by the Chief Financial Officer or her or his designee, and composed of 12 other members selected for 3-year terms of office as follows:
1. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or her designee.
2. One member appointed by the Commissioner of Education from the Office of School Health Programs of the Florida Department of Education.
3. One member appointed by the Chief Financial Officer from among three members nominated by the Florida Pediatric Society.
4. One member, appointed by the Governor, who represents the Children’s Medical Services Program.
5. One member appointed by the Chief Financial Officer from among three members nominated by the Florida Hospital Association.
6. One member, appointed by the Governor, who is an expert on child health policy.
7. One member, appointed by the Chief Financial Officer, from among three members nominated by the Florida Academy of Family Physicians.
8. One member, appointed by the Governor, who represents the state Medicaid program.
9. One member, appointed by the Chief Financial Officer, from among three members nominated by the Florida Association of Counties.
10. The State Health Officer or her or his designee.
11. The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her designee.
12. One member, appointed by the Governor, from among three members nominated by the Florida Dental Association.
(b) A member of the board of directors may be removed by the official who appointed that member. The board shall appoint an executive director, who is responsible for other staff authorized by the board.
(c) Board members are entitled to receive, from funds of the corporation, reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided by s. 112.061.
(d) There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action shall arise against, any member of the board of directors, or its employees or agents, for any action they take in the performance of their powers and duties under this act.
(7) LICENSING NOT REQUIRED; FISCAL OPERATION.—
(a) The corporation shall not be deemed an insurer. The officers, directors, and employees of the corporation shall not be deemed to be agents of an insurer. Neither the corporation nor any officer, director, or employee of the corporation is subject to the licensing requirements of the insurance code or the rules of the Department of Financial Services. However, any marketing representative utilized and compensated by the corporation must be appointed as a representative of the insurers or health services providers with which the corporation contracts.
(b) The board has complete fiscal control over the corporation and is responsible for all corporate operations.
(c) The Department of Financial Services shall supervise any liquidation or dissolution of the corporation and shall have, with respect to such liquidation or dissolution, all power granted to it pursuant to the insurance code.
History.—s. 1, ch. 90-199; s. 1, ch. 91-188; s. 30, ch. 91-201; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 7, ch. 93-78; s. 21, ch. 93-129; s. 1, ch. 96-337; s. 368, ch. 96-406; s. 28, ch. 96-418; s. 9, ch. 96-420; s. 1722, ch. 97-102; s. 8, ch. 97-153; s. 54, ch. 98-288; s. 5, ch. 99-357; s. 20, ch. 2001-377; s. 32, ch. 2002-400; s. 14, ch. 2002-404; s. 21, ch. 2003-405; s. 6, ch. 2004-1; s. 20, ch. 2004-270; s. 84, ch. 2006-1; s. 18, ch. 2006-2; s. 23, ch. 2006-28; s. 7, ch. 2008-32; s. 3, ch. 2008-146; s. 1, ch. 2009-41; s. 13, ch. 2009-113; s. 119, ch. 2010-5; s. 1, ch. 2012-42; s. 148, ch. 2014-17; s. 280, ch. 2014-19; s. 24, ch. 2016-65; ss. 30, 31, ch. 2019-116; ss. 18, 19, ch. 2020-114; s. 14, ch. 2021-41; s. 4, ch. 2023-277.
1Note.—Section 5, ch. 2024-227, provides that “[i]mplementation of chapter 2023-277, Laws of Florida, by the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation is contingent upon federal approval through a Medicaid waiver or a state plan amendment. This section shall take effect upon this act becoming a law.”
