Florida Considering Pause on Kids' Healthcare Boost

Florida's Governor, Ron DeSantis, is putting a hold on expanding medical coverage to around 42, 000 kids. The reason? They're waiting to see how President-elect Donald Trump's health care plans might affect their state. The federal government recently gave Florida the green light to expand its KidCare program, which helps kids from lower-income families get affordable healthcare. But there's a rule: states can't stop the coverage even if families miss payments. Florida doesn't like this and challenged it in court but lost. Now, they're hoping Trump's administration might change the rules. Healthcare experts say Florida is stalling because they don't want to follow the current rule. They also think the new administration might have different ideas about healthcare. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration wants a 30-day extension to chat with the new administration before deciding. Some experts worry that delaying this expansion could harm the kids who need it most. Since the pandemic, Florida has also taken Medicaid away from around 532, 000 kids.