TAMPA, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) announced the University of South Florida (USF) will receive $13,792,000 in federal grant funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support ACA health navigators across the state. Specifically, the grant funding will support Florida Covering Kids and Families (FL-CKF) and USF College of Public Health as they assist families with affordable coverage. Since 2013, FL-CKF has supported over 150 health navigators to provide outreach and free ACA Marketplace enrollment assistance to Florida families, as well as assistance enrolling eligible children in Medicaid and KidCare. 

“This investment will be a godsend to my neighbors who rely on affordable, high-quality health care. Florida consistently ranks as a top State in sign-up numbers for health coverage during the open-enrollment period, with over 4 million Floridians choosing a plan in 2024,” said Castor. “This grant, which is the largest in the nation, will help more of Florida’s families, consumers and small businesses find the health coverage they need while removing barriers to obtaining coverage.

“Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, health care has never been more affordable. In fact, many Floridians will enjoy an average savings of $590/year – spending no more than 8.5% of their income on premiums – while ensuring they can’t be kicked off their coverage for getting sick.

“Access to affordable, high-quality health care and coverage should be a right, not a privilege. These federal dollars are especially critical in Florida, where Governor DeSantis has cruelly and inappropriately stripped hundreds of thousands of Florida children from their health care coverage during the Medicaid unwinding and his continued unlawful removal of children from KidCare. Where DeSantis has failed children and families, the federal government is stepping up to help get and keep kids covered.”

U.S. Rep. Castor serves on the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee and helped to draft the Affordable Care Act to ensure it works for families and small businesses. Since ACA enrollment began in 2013, Florida has consistently led the nation in the number of sign-ups on healthcare.gov.