Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced that the University of South Florida (USF) will receive nearly $14 million in a federal grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support Affordable Care Act (ACA) “health navigators.” These navigators attempt to advise and assist families find the right healthcare plan for them.
According to Rep. Castor, the $14 million grant will go specifically to Florida Covering Kids and Families (FL-CKF) and the USF College of Public Health, which have Floridians enroll in programs such as Medicaid and KidCare.
The Florida congresswoman stated that the grant is a “godsend” that will properly aid Floridians acquire health coverage.
“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 Rep. 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.”
Furthermore, Castor cited the Inflation Reduction Act as a reason for the coverage to maintain a lower rate than before.
“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,” said Castor.
Finally, the Florida congresswoman took a shot at Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) yet again for the KidCare issue, citing her concerns about “hundreds of thousands of Florida children” getting disenrolled from the program by the state government.
“Access to affordable, high-quality health care and coverage should be a right, not a privilege,” said Castor. “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.”
Kathy Castor represents Florida’s 14th Congressional District.
