2017 FNA Book of Reports

2017 Florida Nurses Association
Pertinent Definitions
CHIP – Children’s Health Insurance Program
Florida, CHIP is operationalized as KidCare. It was created through Title XXI of the Social Security Act and
reauthorized in 2009. The 4-pronged program covers children from birth through age 18:
• Medicaid covers children birth through one-year at up to 206% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL), 1-5 years up to
140% FPL children 6- – 18 years up to 133% of FPL
• Medikids- Covers children ages 1-4 with subsidized premiums between 133-200% FPL ($15 -$20 a month
per child)
• Florida Healthy Kids – covers children 5-18 with subsidized premiums between 133-200% FPL ($15 -$20 a
month per child)
• Children’s Medical Service Network – covers children birth through 18 years special health care needs who
are clinically and financially eligible at no cost to families
Federal Poverty Level (FPL) –The annual income amount set by the federal government to establish eligibility for
federal aid programs. The formula takes into account family size and income. In 2015, the FPL for a family of
four is $24,250.
The Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAPs) are used in determining the amount of federal matching
funds for state expenditures for assistance payments for medical insurance expenditures. The Social Security
Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to calculate and publish the FMAPs each year. For
2016 the Florida FMAPs are Medicaid: 60.67, enhanced FMAP for CHIP: 95.47.
Overview on nursing role/function
According to the American Nurses Association, the nursing profession has a leadership role in defining the
organizational, social, policy, and political factors that affect our communities’ access to quality and effective
healthcare. 3 The leadership role for the FNA includes advocating for expanded health care access to improve
the health outcomes for about 25,000 lawfully residing immigrant children in Florida who would be eligible for
coverage by elimination the five-year waiting period.
Legal/ethical considerations
Nurses and the American Nurses Association have long considered access for all American residents to high
quality and affordable health care as a human right. 4 Expanding health care access to 25,000 lawfully residing
immigrant children in Florida is consistent with the ethical stance of the nursing profession.
Consequences to Health Outcomes
Multiple researchers have submitted substantial evidence that childhood coverage through Medicaid and CHIP
programs promotes positive lifelong health outcomes. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that adults who were
eligible for Medicaid as children had 26% lower incidence of high blood pressure in adulthood and “Children with
Medicaid had lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency room visits in adulthood—leading the government to
recoup between 3 and 5 percent of the initial cost of Medicaid eligibility expansions in just one year.” 5
During adolescence, Medicaid enrollees have fewer mental illnesses, fewer eating disorders, engage in risky
substance use or sexual activity less frequently 6 , and have overall lower BMIs. 7
3
American Nurses Association. (2010). Nursing’s social policy statement: The essence of the profession (3rd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author.
4
American Nurses Association. (2008). Health system reform agenda. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/content/
healthcareandpolicyissues/agenda/anashealthsystemreformagenda.pdf
5
Chester, A. & Alker, J. (2015) Medicaid at 50: A look at the long-term benefits of childhood Medicaid. Georgetown University Health Policy
Institute, Center for Children and Families.
6
S. Cohodes, et al., “The Effect of Child Health Insurance Access on Schooling: Evidence from Public Insurance Expansions,” National Bureau
of Economic Research (May 2014)
7
S. Miller and L. Wherry, “The Long Term Health Effects of Early Life Medicaid Coverage,” Forthcoming (2015)
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