A new online tool could help some Florida families quickly determine how much health insurance for their children will cost.

The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation recently debuted an eligibility calculator that uses family size and annual household income to estimate a monthly premium for Florida KidCare coverage.

"We are hoping to add clarity, ease and efficiency to the insurance application process, which can sometimes be complex,” said Ashley Carr, the communications and marketing director for Florida Healthy Kids. “So we really want to showcase how affordable Florida KidCare coverage is for Florida families, even if one or both parents are working."

FHKC estimates more than 257,000 Florida children are currently without insurance coverage and nearly half of those children qualify for free or low-cost coverage, which can be as little as $15 or $20 a month. Enrollment is open year-round. About 62 percent of children in the state are covered through Florida KidCare.

"As you're settling down on the couch to watch TV at night, it's a very easy way to pull out your phone or your iPad or laptop and hop online to FloridaKidCare.org,” Carr said.

Florida KidCare offers affordable health and dental insurance to children from birth through age 18 and encompasses four insurance programs: Medicaid, MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids and the Children's Medical Services Managed Care Plan.

Carr said more than 6,000 people have already used the new eligibility tool.

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