Miami lawmakers are proposing a bill that would eliminate the five-year waiting period before children of legal immigrants can enroll in Florida KidCare, the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau reports (paywall alert).
State Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, and state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, say changing the rule would allow about 26,000 low-income children to get health coverage subsidized by state and federal funds.
Since 2009, the federal government has been allowing states to provide immediate coverage to children who are in the U.S. legally. Florida has yet to make the change, which is estimated to cost $69 million; the state would be responsible for $27.5 million of the tab.