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Florida Kidcare review: Last minute payment change 22

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2:32 pm EDT
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As I do every year in July I renew my children's insurance. It's always a BIG hassle with tons of lost paperwork by Kidcare's great staff. Also btw, I always send all correspondence certified, return receipt requested due to this problem.
In August of this year (2010) I get a notice that my renewal is done and my payment would be the usual 15.00 a month starting 9/1/10.
Okay, so now I figure everything's fine for the upcoming year. On 9/1/10 I make my payment of 15.00 as usual. Then on 9/20/10 I received a change of payment notice from kidcare stating my payment will now be 20.00 instead. But this is when the real problem started, because they made my new payment retroactive for September(due in full on 9/1/10) which now made my payment late because of a 5.00 deficit. Upon reciept of this, I immediately sent 5.00 online hoping they would honestly understand the reason why it was late. The next day I received a cancellation notice from them so I immediately called them and disputed this and the woman, Erin said it was their mistake and my insurance was not being cancelled. Being fine with this I then relaxed and it didn't become a problem until today at the Doctor with my sick son. Not only did she lie to me, nobody has any proof that I even called. This caused my children's insurance to be canceled for 6 months now and it is absolutely making me sick! So today I'm fighting them by sending the proof of payment change dated 9/15/10 from kidcare to the Florida insurance comissioner and yet another certified letter to Florida kidcare.

Also, I want to give everyone a word to the wise when dealing with kidcare, unless you are calling customer service simply out of boredom wanting to chat, save yourselves alot of headache and simply send all important letters, grievances, etc over returned receipt certified mail only. This is the ONLY way to get any assistance, believe me! The people you talk to will say ANYTHING you want just to get you off the phone doing absolutely nothing for you except wasting your time. Anything done on the phone will turn into a nightmare that isn't worth your child's health.
Thank you for listening,
A.M.

22 comments
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Bella08
, US
Aug 31, 2016 9:41 am EDT
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Affordable Care act my butt. My child has been with Florida Healthy kids for 15 months now. When I first applied I fell in the bracket where I only paid $20/month.
Absolutely nothing changed in my income only now I have a few more expenses due to an increase in rent and other expenses. 4 months ago I receive a letter that my renewal ( that I never did) was complete and now I have to pay $300/month. WHAT? I nearly fell off my seat. I promptly called customer service where they suggested I resubmit my income, and the only expense they care about is student loans or alimony (what about living and childcare expenses etc..) Anyway, I did what I was asked and submitted all via e-mail so I had proof of when I sent, I even received an automatic e-mail saying they received my doc.Due to the fact that my daughter is asthmatic, blood disorder, and allergy problems I decided to Pay the following month the $300 so that her insurance would not get cut off while I dealt with the issues. During the interim I have sent the information 4 additional times paid 3 months worth of $300/month totalling $900 and the damn insurance won't even cover half of my daughter's medications as well as I am still getting letters from Palms West hospital that her insurance won't pay. WHAT THE HELL did I just pay $900 for? I refuse to pay another dime to this BS excuse for Insurance. I am livid and over this nonsense.

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Martha J
, US
Aug 20, 2015 9:11 pm EDT

I'm very shock about this too, this is insane and I don't think it goes with the law, how are they going to do something like this? How many children are going to be out of insurance thanks to this nonsense " Affordable Care Act"
My kids have conditions that require for them to be insured, now I'm stock paying this ridiculous amount of money! Where else can people complaint? Please guide us...

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Parent1113
, US
Aug 18, 2015 1:10 pm EDT

I am not sure how the government can raise the rate of insurance on a child 100%. If your a full pay customer you are now paying $284 instead of $141. They gave you less than 30 days to find a new insurance. Open enrollment is not until October and does not take affect until January 1. They give you no choice but to pay it. I am distraught that I have to find an additional 143 dollars a month to pay for insurance on one child. How do they possibly think people are going to be able to pay this amount. Oh wait! they don't want you to be ablel to afford it, good ole'l "AFFORDABLE CARE ACT" wants you to do out in the marketplace and leave them out of it. Do how many children will now be without insurance Mr. President? Just curious what your thought process was here!

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Jen & Chrs
, US
Aug 15, 2015 4:29 pm EDT

I am very uneasy after the letter I received from Kid Care today! We have been paying $20.00 a month for Medical for my son since August of last year, and today I receive a letter stating that it was just bumped to $157.00. Of course it is Saturday, and their offices are closed, so I can't call, and I certainly can not afford this! I really don't understand how it could go up so much, that is ridiculous. I mean is you are going to raise me fine, but 8X more than what we have been paying is crazy! Is there anyone that can help me? I don't know what to do...

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GUTIERREZ2629
, US
Jan 30, 2015 4:43 pm EST
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I HATE the FL KID CARE PROGRAM. YOU ARE NOT DOING ME A FAVOR AS I PAY THE MAXIMUM FOR MY SONS CRAPY HEALTH INSURANCE. MY SON HAS A SEIZURE DISORDER THUS I SETUP THE ACCOUNT FOR AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS. WHY IS IT THAT THE PAYMENT DID NOT GO THROUGH IN JANUARY? THE INCOMPETENT PERSON THAT WAS SO CALLED ASSISTING ME COULD NOT ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. SHE KEPT REPEATING THAT SINCE I MADE THE PAYMENT YESTERDAY IT TAKES 7-10 BUSINESS DAYS FOR THEM TO UPDATE UNITED HEALTH CARE. SO I ASKED HER DUE TO MY SONS HEALTH CONDITION CAN THIS PROCESS BE EXPEDITED? SHE CONTINUES TO REPEAT HERSELF STATING SINCE YOUR PAYMENT IS LATE IT WILL TAKE 7-10 BUSINESS DAYS FOR FL KID CARE TO UPDATE UNITED HEALTH CARE. THEIR WEBSITE CLEARLY STATES "AUTO PAYMENTS WILL CONTINUE EACH MONTH UNLESS YOU CANCEL IT". WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? I CANNOT TAKE MY SON TO HIS SPEECH, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY BECAUSE MY SONS INSURANCE WAS TERMINATED DUE TO 'MY LATE PAYMENT". CAN THEY DO THIS?

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preplexedbythesystem
Lehigh Acres, US
Jan 09, 2015 5:12 am EST

Going through this right now! Premium was 216, got a call say it dropped to 157, then got a letter saying it went to 883, same day opened a second letter saying 773. Called kidcare...NOTHING! Yet they are still taking my MONEY! Cancelled ALL 5 of my kids even after they have taken over $400 payment, then just picked 3 to reinstate and my two youngest have no insurance and both have a documented medical history of seizures...Called yesterday...yea, they just kept thanking you and apologizing for any inconvenience. I ask what if my child has a seizure? Who decided which kids to keep insurance for? How are they helping to keep kids "healthy' if they want me to pay more than I have? She says, "if you p[ay the premium of 773 now your kids MIGHT have insurance in February? Really? I have one hundred dollars in the bank right now, work everyday as a TEACHER for the state, don't have ANYTHING luxurious or fancy, owe more than I make, but can't get my KIDS health insurance? How do they people with fancy cars and nice houses get 100% state assistance? Yet, I can't just get my kid's HEALTH insurance! Way to go Florida!

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mommyof02
Oakland Park, US
Sep 23, 2014 11:28 am EDT
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I agree 100% off all of the moms on here fighting to keep our kids healthy and on an insurance plan. They are outrageous in the price points they charge. My deductable went from $20 a month to $349 a month, because my husband makes $100 over the limit. Its really unfair and unjust that the family's that do RIGHT by the government, the system and values (only having the children we can afford) get screwed over in the end. But all these unfit moms that have 5, 6 or 10 children keep popping them out and get free health care, food stamps, housing, phones you name it. It makes people see the good in the bad and do wrong by the system just to catch a break. Sad that us tax paying citizens are supporting these families and their needs and we cant afford to support our own. Why should they get our money and our children dont. I am VERY dissapointed in Kidcare and wish they could fix the system.

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DeeDee1882003
Orlando, US
Sep 17, 2014 12:14 pm EDT

I have had my 3 boys on Florida Kidcare for 3 years, we are a household of 5 and my husband is the only one currently working. Our monthly premium has been $20 for years. I just did the renewal and NOTHING changed on my husbands income and I just found out that our premium is changing to $516 a month due to new income guidelines~! My husband makes $98 a month over the income limits that are now in place and have changed so our premium jumps almost $500 a month! I can not afford that and I have a child with health conditions that goes to 4 different specialist monthly and now with the price jump I can not afford it so my poor kids will suffer and have no health insurance! I called and cried and pleaded with them to help me and nothing can be done! Also on top of that since I can not afford to insure my kids I will be penalized at tax time with $3000 to be taken from our tax return for not having insurance! I am unable to win no matter which way I go!? I am sick to my stomach knowing there are people out there with 5-8 kids no jobs and get free insurance, free housing, free food and I get penalized for my husband having a job and have to pay $500 more a month for my poor children to have health insurance! What a NIGHTMARE!

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BettyV
Miami, US
Jul 15, 2014 9:52 am EDT

Florida KidCare - Healthy Kids- I am trying to request retro-active coverage. An frankly, after reading all these posts i must laugh at my current goal... I mean if they couldn't get regular coverage to work out seamlessly for all these people, my chances look slim to none. My son ran out of a therapeutic medication and I would like to get the insurance to cover it since it is $200. It doesn't seem like much to most but it is to me. I certainly do not want to wind up in the ER... Florida Healthy Kids asked to make an additional payment and even that would not guarantee that I get the request approved- but they still want me to wait 24 hours for the payment to post (they cant use the confirmation #).I amsking to speak with the supervisor. it seems like something so simple to resolve. WISH ME LUCK :/

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lacey franklin
, US
May 29, 2014 4:05 pm EDT
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I am having similar issues with KidCare. We have been paying a $20 premium for years. When it was time for renewal, I was 8.5 months pregnant. I couldn't give them the info for the addtl child that would be here when the renewal was effective 10/1/13 because he wasn't born yet...even though he was born a week later. My 5 year old is CMS eligible due to numerous medical conditions. He has to take 4 different medications daily. I pay my normal $20 due May 1 on April 30. I get a call on May 22 telling me that I need to pay to prevent coverage termination. I check online and it says I owe an addtl $128 and am PAST DUE! I call and they tell me they sent a letter. I got the letter May 23, dated May 9, and postmarked May 12 telling me my premium has changed and is due May 1! Seriously!?!? Who the hell can come up with $128 in a week and a half's time when they are on a fixed income? My 5 year old's father is deceased. I am now with the father of my 8 month old, and we all live together. They REFUSE to add my fiance to the household because we do not claim taxes together (HELLO! WE CANNOT! THAT IS ILLEGAL!) and because we are not married. They made me submit an entire NEW application to add the baby to the household even though he is covered by Medicaid still. Processed and then they tell me today (thank GOD I called to check application status) that they need new income verification. The income has been the EXACT same for FOUR YEARS! So I fax it and the lady tells me it will take 3-5 days to have my acct looked at again. In the mean time, she advises me his coverage will term since it will cross over the deadline OR I can pay the $128 addtl and have my account credited when they change the premium back...WHO THE HELL CHANGES PREMIUM PAYMENTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH?!? This should be ILLEGAL!

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Ann Gomes
Boynton Beach, US
Oct 21, 2013 9:21 am EDT

Unbelievable...it only gets worse and worse. First I'm told that my children aren't eligible because they HAVE medicaid (which along with all documentation they requested showed that they were being disenrolled as of October 1st) well they couldn't get their act together, I ended calling everyday and faxing the PROOF that they were not on Medicaid and were NOT eligible their system is down doing an upgrade for a month! Ok, what am I supposed to do with my children and not having any medical insurance. You ladies are right the call center will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the phone and each time you call it will be a different story. It's October 21st now my kids don't have insurance I have made a payment good for THREE months and I still don't have ANY coverage. Now I'm being told to file a complaint with the dispute department! Not only do you have to give them all kinds of paperwork, and jump through hoops you still have to pay them and they still won't cover the children. This is a lot of help...who is the elected official that I need to NOT VOTE for next term? Please let me know, because I'm sure he/she is getting paid plenty has coverage for himself and his kids and isn't too worried about medical coverage for children in Florida! So sick of this system that is OF NO HELP AT ALL!

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Bo8
, US
Sep 21, 2013 9:06 pm EDT
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Oh, but this is unreal! We have SAME income etc. for last 3 years, premium for my child just changed from $15 to $141. That is almost 10 TIMES MORE! How this could be? Does anyone knows any other kids insurance that we can look up?

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infoang
Pensacola, US
May 07, 2013 3:50 pm EDT

Kidcare refuses to authorize payment for my 12 year old son's Advair. Saying he can use something else. The problem being that he has tried other medications and his symptoms became more and more severe. He was referred to a pulmonologist who prescribed the advair and it is the only medication he has ever taken that worked! My son is now out of advair and I do not have 300.00 to pay for his prescription. Thanks for nothing Kidcare! what a load of bull...Apparently low income kids are out of luck if they can not BREATHE! I am more than furious. If m kid ends up in the ER I will find a personal injury lawyer and take some serious issue with your janky tactics

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TTINA
ANYWHERE, US
Sep 04, 2012 3:41 pm EDT

I have nothing but trouble with Florida Kidcare as well. My premium went up last year to 133.00 and I called saying there must have been a mistake. They said there was no mistake. After renewing this year my premium went back down to the normal $20 I was originally paying. (No difference in pay). Now they are suppose to refund me. Well they said they cut the check on the 20th of August. Or at least thats what the first rep said. Then a supervisor told me the hurricane delayed my refund. Then another supervisor told me that I would receive it no later than last Friday. Then another supervisor told me to call Tuesday if I dont receive it. Well today is Tuesday and another supervisor told me that the holiday delayed it and I need to give it another week. They dont know if they actually cut the check on the 20th or what. Turns out this call center is a third party contracted by a printing company hired by the State. I am so over this call center. I cant believe these people who sound like their off the streets have access to our social security numbers.

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sme71
st pete, US
Jul 20, 2012 2:45 pm EDT

I get the approval letter in the mail today they want 133.00 a month hell if I could afford that I wouldn't be applying for kidcare in the first damn place my work insurance is cheaper than that this is F***ing ridiculous I F***ing give up !

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xstortionist
Lehigh Acres, US
Mar 24, 2012 5:59 pm EDT

This is a rip off and they also use a false advertised slogan "child health insurance you can afford!" Please tell me someone who can afford $190+ a month for childrens health insurance. They say most families pay $15 to $20 a month... what families pay this? Families that have never worked a damn day in their lives? I guess my hard earned tax dollars are benefiting people who don't work and do not contribute to the economy. Again, this just shows that people who are trying to make it in lives who work every damn day get ### on. I'm so tired of America and how they screw people who work and people who don't work get everything handed to them on a silver platter. I'm going to be purchasing the domain name "floridakidcaresucks.com" in hopes of getting generated ad dollars to help me and my family afford health insurance.

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Britanyy
middleburg, US
Mar 08, 2012 4:17 am EST
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I have had an absolute nightmare with Kidcare too. Have always paid my premium and even double up on it at time just to make sure I do not have a lapse in his coverage. I got a cancellation notice in the mail last week. After talking to several idiots there, I was told it was because my "credit from my overpayment" was never applied to my acct so it showed me as not making a premium payment. It would be taken care of and was assured my son would still have coverage. Called today, my son's coverage has been cancelled. I have spoke with 4 more people today (including 2 supervisors) all have given me a different answer as to why his coverage has been cancelled. All the other phone calls I made earlier in the week, were never documented on Kidcares end and I still have no clue as to why his insurance has been cancelled. He has a serious medical condition and is on a medication that is close to $10, 000 a month. I obviously cannot afford this. I explained this to them without any sympathy. I am so frustrated and don't even know where to turn at this point to figure out what happened and how to get it back. I paid the premium, returned all documents (have proof they received it). I am in tears and worried for my son. Does anyone know who I would file a complaint with?

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Eric Gard
Saint Petersburg, US
Mar 22, 2011 5:01 pm EDT

FYI - I have a friend who made about 40k in 2008. The insurance she gets at work is about $200 per month for her and her teenager but the deductible is$ 7, 000 for both of them. That's right. 7 thousands dollars. This means she has to spend $7000 for the year before the insurance kicks in. Florida Kidcare approved her app for her teenager. The rate is close to $250 each month. That's $3, 000 a year. Expensive, yes? no?

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Amyyyy
, US
Feb 27, 2011 4:19 pm EST

i agree completely. i have a 6 year old son. i have lived in ### Florida all my life and i work pay taxes a medicaid, however, the basters seem to think that 10 dollers an hour in the city of Miami is way to much money. after my bills are paid all i have left is 400 dollers. i dont understand how i do not qualify yet they have these bums who keep popping out kids and getting 500 of food stamps. i dont want there dame food stamps all i need is medicaid for my son. i dont want medicaid for me. these people are ridiculous. they finally gave me Medically needy (share of cost) for 1, 500 dollers. pretty much if my son goes to the doc and the bill is lower then 1, 500 im not eligible for medicaid. im appling for Florida KidCare now and hopefully they can help me!

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pebbles12
Holly Hill, US
Dec 30, 2010 4:59 am EST

I don't know if my complaint against them will help you but serve another warning to others. I sent in my renewal papers to them in November and recieved a letter last week that they did not recieve all of the documentation. When I called I asked them how is it that you recieved some of the documentation and not all of it? (Even though I sent it all in one envelope.) No real answer for that. What happened to my personal information? Not only is my sons insurance being canceled but me and his fathers personal identity is at stake. I am considering calling al lawyer becasue to me this is fraud and negligence. Anyone have an idea who else I can complain to?

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crimsonkimono
Jacksonville, US
Dec 09, 2010 5:55 pm EST

i'm signing my kid up for this.. hes approved but they need the payment.. thankyou for your honesty i'm going to record all conversations, any disputes and the like and document EVERYTHING! i had problems with Health ease when my last insurance decided to drop me b/c i was pregnant. then i couldnt get any coverage b/c i had a "preexisting medical condition" this whole insurance crap sucks! My son was on another insurance b/f they dropped him saying we make too much money but this one is the only one i can afford... thanks again for the heads up! but with my thoroughness im not too worried.. just document document document!

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FHK Help
Tallahassee, US
Oct 12, 2010 7:49 am EDT

Hi Annemarie, I would be happy to look into your account and get the situation rectified. I do apologize for the unpleasant experience you have had with my call center. Please call [protected] and ask for Bill or Jamella.

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