Two initiatives housed at the (COPH) are playing a critical role in expanding health care access for children and families across Florida.
(FL-CKF), a nonprofit initiative housed at the COPH, leads two statewide efforts: the (CFNP) and (CKC). Together, these programs collaborate with state agencies and community stakeholders to provide outreach, education and enrollment assistance for the Federally Facilitated Marketplace, Medicaid and the Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
By working in tandem, CFNP and CKC aim to reduce the number of uninsured residents and improve access to affordable health care coverage across all 67 Florida counties.
The CFNP has maintained its position as a national leader in Navigator-assisted Qualified Health Plan (QHP) enrollments through the Health Insurance Marketplace since 2016. Over the years, the program's performance has been closely aligned with its funding allocation, reflecting a strong and consistent impact on increasing access to health care. To date, Covering Florida has facilitated over 50,000 one-on-one consumer interactions, reached more than 32,000 consumers from target populations, assisted over 5,700 individuals with Medicaid/CHIP enrollment and supported over 8,300 QHP enrollments.
The program has contributed to 11%-22% of total QHP enrollments across all CMS-funded Navigator programs from the 2016 to 2024 performance periods, making it one of the highest-performing and most efficient initiatives in the nation. This success is a direct result of the robust funding, with the CFNP being among the highest-funded projects annually within the Navigator network. As such, the program continues to play a pivotal role in expanding coverage and improving health care access for Floridians.
Navigarors at a past Spring 2024 Statewide Covering Florida Navigator Program Convening workshop.
In March, the programs hosted a joint two-day convening at the COPH and the USF Marshall Student Center, bringing together 15 partners from across the state. Themed around innovation and collaboration, the event focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities in reaching Florida鈥檚 populations.
Speakers included leading voices in public health and policy. Dr. Deanna Wathington, president of the American Public Health Association and clinical director at REACHUP, opened the gathering with remarks on the importance of community-driven initiatives in health care reform. Attendees also heard from , associate director of policy development, co-creator of Florida Healthy Kids and current member of the KidCare Board of Directors. Freedman, a COPH professor of public health policy, offered historical context and insights on ongoing legislative developments.
Scott Darius of Florida Voices for Health shared strategies for advancing health care access, while additional contributions came from the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation and Erica Monet Li of the Florida Policy Institute, who addressed Florida鈥檚 shifting policy landscape.
Participants had the opportunity to develop and present storytelling narratives that showcased the impact of their work at the local level.
鈥淔L-CKF and CKC are more than programs鈥攖hey are catalysts for lasting change,鈥� said , program director for Connecting Kids to Coverage. 鈥淥ur work is driven by collaboration, grounded in community needs and focused on building a healthier future for all Floridians.鈥�
As both programs continue to expand their reach, the dedication of partners statewide remains vital to achieving the shared goal of comprehensive health care coverage for Florida鈥檚 children and families.