Florida KidCare (SCHIP)
Florida KidCare offers affordable, low-cost health insurance for the uninsured children of Florida. There is no interview required, just complete an application and submit it for eligibility determination. It is also important to note that the application will also be screened for Children's Medicaid.
To qualify for lower monthly premiums, the child must be a resident of Florida, a U.S. Citizen, national, legal alien, or qualified non-citizen or permanent resident. Also, the child(ren) should be under age 19 and not covered by health insurance (including Medicaid).
There are two ways to apply: online by going to www.healthykids.org/apply/ or via paper application. You may call 1.888.540.5437 to request an application or download one at www.floridakidcare.org/print-aplication.html.
For more information, please visit www.floridakidcare.org/index.html.
Florida Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income families with home heating and cooling costs.
Applications are only available by contacting the local providers listed below. Applications are not available online. Palm Beach County Community Action Agency: (561) 355-4792.
For more information the program, please visit the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's website.
EHEAP
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) assists low-income households, with at least one person age 60 and older, when the households are experiencing a home energy emergency. A home energy emergency may result from a delinquent utility bill, lack of fuel or wood or the receipt of a shut off notice.
To learn more and to view eligibility requirements please visit the Florida Department of Elder Affairs' website.
You may also contact Your Aging Resource Center or call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) for more information on additional eligibility requirements.
Medicaid
Medicaid provides Medical coverage to low income individuals and families. The state and federal government share the costs of the Medicaid program. Medicaid services in Florida are administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Medicaid eligibility in Florida is determined either by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (for SSI recipients).
To learn more, visit the Department of Children and Families' website.
Medically Needy Share of Cost
Individuals who are not eligible for "full" Medicaid because their income or assets are over the Medicaid program limits may qualify for the Medically Needy program. Individuals enrolled in Medically Needy must have a certain amount of medical bills each month before Medicaid can be approved. This is referred to as a "share of cost" and varies depending on the household's size and income.
Once an individual meets the share of cost for the month, the individual must contact DCF to complete bill tracking and approve Medicaid for the remainder of the month. Information about this program can be found in the Medically Needy Brochure
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Food Assistance Program helps people with low-income, buy healthy food. A food assistance household is normally a group of people who live together and buy food and cook meals together. If your household passes the Food Assistance Program's eligibility rules, the amount of food assistance benefits you get depends on the number of people in your household and how much money is left after certain expenses are subtracted.
To learn more, you may visit the Department of Children and Families' website. Please click here to download a SNAP fact sheet.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Famillies (TANF)
The TCA program provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18 or under age 19 if full time secondary (high school) school students, that meet the technical, income, and asset requirements. The program helps families become self-supporting while allowing children to remain in their own homes. Pregnant women may also receive TCA, either in the third trimester of pregnancy if unable to work, or in the 9th month of pregnancy. Parents, children and minor siblings who live together must apply together.
To learn more, you may visit the Department of Children and Families' website. Please click here to download a Temporary Cash Assistance fact sheet.
Health Care District
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is an independent taxing district that provides an array of health care services, such as:
· Trauma System
· School Health
· Health Coverage
· Hospital
· Skilled Nursing Care
To learn more please visit the Health Care District's website.
Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care.
Use the WIC Prescreening Tool to see if you might be eligible for WIC.
To apply for WIC, you need to contact a local WIC office. You may call 1-800-342-3556 and the operator will provide you with the local phone number or click here to locate sites in Palm Beach County.
The local WIC office will give you a date and time for a WIC certification visit. At this visit, the household income and the medical/nutrition status of each applicant will be reviewed. On that day, you will find out if you and your children are eligible for WIC.
Project Access
Project Access is a coordinated system of volunteer physician care, hospital care, diagnostic services, and medication assistance for the low-income uninsured residents of Palm Beach County. The program is administered by the Palm Beach County Medical Society Services, Inc., a 501(c) 3 corporation.
Before being accepted as a Project Access participant, individuals undergo a screening process to determine eligibility. In order to be eligible, the patients must:
1. Be a resident of Palm Beach County.
2. Have income that does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level ($46,100 for a family of four).
3. Not qualify for any federal, state or county health coverage.
While patients are under Project Access care, the staff works with them to find other ongoing care within six to nine months.
To learn more, please visit the Palm Beach Medical Society's website.
Earned Income Tax Credit
EITC, the Earned Income Tax Credit, sometimes called EIC is a tax credit to help you keep more of what you earned. It is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. Congress originally approved the tax credit legislation in 1975 in part to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if you do not owe any tax or are not required to file.
To learn more at the EITC, please visit the IRS website.
Child Tax Credit
Free and Reduced School Lunch Program
The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs make nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free meals available to school children each school day. School breakfasts and lunches must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Federal nutrition standards. Some schools offer afterschool snacks to children in the school's afterschool care programs. The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs are currently administered by Florida Food and Nutrition Management and the Department of Education.
The learn more about the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program in Florida click here.
Social Security - Supplemental Security Income
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes):
It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and
It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.
To learn more about SSI and to view eligibility requirements please visit the Social Security Administration's website.
Florida KidCare offers affordable, low-cost health insurance for the uninsured children of Florida. There is no interview required, just complete an application and submit it for eligibility determination. It is also important to note that the application will also be screened for Children's Medicaid.
To qualify for lower monthly premiums, the child must be a resident of Florida, a U.S. Citizen, national, legal alien, or qualified non-citizen or permanent resident. Also, the child(ren) should be under age 19 and not covered by health insurance (including Medicaid).
There are two ways to apply: online by going to www.healthykids.org/apply/ or via paper application. You may call 1.888.540.5437 to request an application or download one at www.floridakidcare.org/print-aplication.html.
For more information, please visit www.floridakidcare.org/index.html.
Florida Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income families with home heating and cooling costs.
Applications are only available by contacting the local providers listed below. Applications are not available online. Palm Beach County Community Action Agency: (561) 355-4792.
For more information the program, please visit the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's website.
EHEAP
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) assists low-income households, with at least one person age 60 and older, when the households are experiencing a home energy emergency. A home energy emergency may result from a delinquent utility bill, lack of fuel or wood or the receipt of a shut off notice.
To learn more and to view eligibility requirements please visit the Florida Department of Elder Affairs' website.
You may also contact Your Aging Resource Center or call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) for more information on additional eligibility requirements.
Medicaid
Medicaid provides Medical coverage to low income individuals and families. The state and federal government share the costs of the Medicaid program. Medicaid services in Florida are administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Medicaid eligibility in Florida is determined either by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Social Security Administration (for SSI recipients).
To learn more, visit the Department of Children and Families' website.
Medically Needy Share of Cost
Individuals who are not eligible for "full" Medicaid because their income or assets are over the Medicaid program limits may qualify for the Medically Needy program. Individuals enrolled in Medically Needy must have a certain amount of medical bills each month before Medicaid can be approved. This is referred to as a "share of cost" and varies depending on the household's size and income.
Once an individual meets the share of cost for the month, the individual must contact DCF to complete bill tracking and approve Medicaid for the remainder of the month. Information about this program can be found in the Medically Needy Brochure
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Food Assistance Program helps people with low-income, buy healthy food. A food assistance household is normally a group of people who live together and buy food and cook meals together. If your household passes the Food Assistance Program's eligibility rules, the amount of food assistance benefits you get depends on the number of people in your household and how much money is left after certain expenses are subtracted.
To learn more, you may visit the Department of Children and Families' website. Please click here to download a SNAP fact sheet.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Famillies (TANF)
The TCA program provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18 or under age 19 if full time secondary (high school) school students, that meet the technical, income, and asset requirements. The program helps families become self-supporting while allowing children to remain in their own homes. Pregnant women may also receive TCA, either in the third trimester of pregnancy if unable to work, or in the 9th month of pregnancy. Parents, children and minor siblings who live together must apply together.
To learn more, you may visit the Department of Children and Families' website. Please click here to download a Temporary Cash Assistance fact sheet.
Health Care District
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is an independent taxing district that provides an array of health care services, such as:
· Trauma System
· School Health
· Health Coverage
· Hospital
· Skilled Nursing Care
To learn more please visit the Health Care District's website.
Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care.
Use the WIC Prescreening Tool to see if you might be eligible for WIC.
To apply for WIC, you need to contact a local WIC office. You may call 1-800-342-3556 and the operator will provide you with the local phone number or click here to locate sites in Palm Beach County.
The local WIC office will give you a date and time for a WIC certification visit. At this visit, the household income and the medical/nutrition status of each applicant will be reviewed. On that day, you will find out if you and your children are eligible for WIC.
Project Access
Project Access is a coordinated system of volunteer physician care, hospital care, diagnostic services, and medication assistance for the low-income uninsured residents of Palm Beach County. The program is administered by the Palm Beach County Medical Society Services, Inc., a 501(c) 3 corporation.
Before being accepted as a Project Access participant, individuals undergo a screening process to determine eligibility. In order to be eligible, the patients must:
1. Be a resident of Palm Beach County.
2. Have income that does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level ($46,100 for a family of four).
3. Not qualify for any federal, state or county health coverage.
While patients are under Project Access care, the staff works with them to find other ongoing care within six to nine months.
To learn more, please visit the Palm Beach Medical Society's website.
Earned Income Tax Credit
EITC, the Earned Income Tax Credit, sometimes called EIC is a tax credit to help you keep more of what you earned. It is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. Congress originally approved the tax credit legislation in 1975 in part to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if you do not owe any tax or are not required to file.
To learn more at the EITC, please visit the IRS website.
Child Tax Credit
Free and Reduced School Lunch Program
The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs make nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free meals available to school children each school day. School breakfasts and lunches must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Federal nutrition standards. Some schools offer afterschool snacks to children in the school's afterschool care programs. The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs are currently administered by Florida Food and Nutrition Management and the Department of Education.
The learn more about the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program in Florida click here.
Social Security - Supplemental Security Income
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes):
It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and
It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.
To learn more about SSI and to view eligibility requirements please visit the Social Security Administration's website.
