"Parents and families throughout the State of Florida can breathe a little easier today knowing that Florida is committed to ensuring that children from middle class and working class families can see a doctor, receive immunizations and check ups and not break the family budget doing so." 

     Today, Governor Charlie Crist will sign into law legislation that boosts Florida’s KidCare health care initiative after years of steep declines in enrollment caused by bureaucratic barriers and lack of investment. Florida KidCare, also known as the Children’s Health Insurance Program "SCHIP", follows through on federal reforms enacted earlier this year that breaks down bureaucratic barriers for families to enroll.

    Florida Kidcare provides cost affordable access to pediatricians and health care to millions of children nationwide.  After serving as the genesis for the national initiative, Florida fell behind and now has one of the highest rates of uninsured kids - about 800,000.

    Castor and health care and child activists targeted changes at the federal and state level over the past few years.  State level efforts were led by State Senator Nan Rich, State Representative Bill Galvano and CFO Alex Sink and others.  Governor Crist also announced budget support. Castor worked in Congress to improve and expand SCHIP shortly after she took office in 2007.  President Obama asked Castor to stand with him at the White House for the signing of a new SCHIP bill in February of this year.  Now, it is Florida's turn.

    Congresswoman Castor's mother, Betty Castor, as former state education commissioner worked with then-Gov. Lawton Chiles to launch a children’s health care initiative in the 1990’s.  The program was so successful that Chiles took the concept to President Clinton, who then launched the national program, SCHIP.