In the 1990s, Florida Education Commissioner Betty Castor worked with then-Gov. Lawton Chiles on developing a health insurance program for Florida’s uninsured children.  Florida Kidcare became the model for the national State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) which was enacted on the national level in 1997. Betty’s daughter, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, later took up the mantle and became a leading Florida advocate for families’ access to affordable health care under SCHIP. Rep. Castor was invited by President Obama to the White House to join him today as he signs the children’s health care expansion bill into law.

“It is an honor to represent Florida families at the White House. What good news for all Americans that one of the first bills President Obama will sign will improve access to affordable health care and reduce the cost of health care for families,” Congresswoman Kathy Castor said. “More affordable health care is central to our economic recovery and it is fundamental for families. This is a positive sign of a change in the direction of the country under President Obama, and this is a meaningful moment for me personally.”

Kathy Castor advocated for improvement and expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) shortly after she took office in 2007. Several of the measures she developed are included in today’s legislation, such as bonus payments to states that cut bureaucracy to more quickly and efficiently enroll and retain children. She has encouraged “fast track” enrollment options, such as creating a presumptive eligibility system for children participating in other public assistance programs. Castor also has worked with health care professionals on the legislation and has held news conferences in Tampa to highlight the need for SCHIP.

This expansion of SCHIP, known as KidCare in Florida, provides health care coverage for 11 million children nationwide by keeping intact the coverage for 7 million children currently enrolled and extending coverage to an additional 4 million.

The legislation is particularly important to Florida. Florida has about 800,000 uninsured children – ranking third in the nation in terms of number of uninsured children and second-highest by percentage. In fiscal year 2007, Florida had about 323,000 children enrolled in SCHIP.

Betty Castor, a former state education commissioner, worked with Chiles on a children’s health care program for Florida to enroll kids in a health care plan at the start of the school year. They understood that healthy kids succeed in school at higher rates. The program they developed was so successful Chiles took the concept to President Clinton, who then launched a national program, known today as SCHIP.

Florida children suffered during Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration as enrollment procedures became more difficult and waiting lists grew. Only recently has Florida seen enrollment gains, but it still has a long way to go. The new SCHIP law will help. President Bush twice vetoed SCHIP reauthorization bills and the legislation became a political football in the last session of Congress.

“I was in the pediatrician’s office last Friday with my daughters,” Castor said. “There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that your children are healthy after a checkup or that they are on the road to recovery. I speak for millions of parents who can share that sense of relief because they can take their kids to the doctor’s office – and do so without breaking the family bank.”