Florida KidCare or ObamaCare for Your Kids in 2027: Income Limits, Premiums and Which One Applies
Updated October 27, 2026 · By the Arte Insurance team · 6-minute read
In Florida, children in families with income up to 200% of the poverty level ($66,000 a year for a family of four) usually qualify for Florida KidCare: Medicaid with no monthly premium, or MediKids and Florida Healthy Kids for $15 or $20 a month per family. Children who qualify for KidCare can’t get the premium tax credit on a Marketplace (ObamaCare) plan, but their parents still can. Above 200%, children can join the family’s Marketplace plan with the tax credit, or buy full-pay KidCare. You can apply for KidCare any time of year.
Updated: October 27, 2026 · Sources: Florida KidCare: income guidelines (April 2026) · HealthCare.gov: changing from the Marketplace to Medicaid or CHIP
Open Enrollment for 2027 starts November 1, and many parents ask the same thing: should the kids go on our ObamaCare plan or on KidCare? The answer depends mostly on your household income. This guide explains how the two programs fit together.
Florida KidCare: the four parts
Florida KidCare is the state’s health coverage for children from birth through age 18. It has four parts:
| Program | Ages | Family income | Monthly premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | 0 to 18 | Up to 133% of the poverty level (higher for babies under 1) | None |
| MediKids | 1 to 4 | 133% to 200% | $15 or $20 per family |
| Florida Healthy Kids | 5 to 18 | 133% to 200% | $15 or $20 per family |
| Children’s Medical Services Health Plan | 1 to 18, with special health care needs | Up to 200% | Depends on income |
Sources: Florida KidCare income guidelines (April 2026) and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).
The $15 premium applies from 133% to 158% of the poverty level and the $20 premium from 158% to 200%. Healthy Kids has copays of $5 or $10 for most services; MediKids has no copays. MediKids and Healthy Kids are for children who don’t have other health insurance.
Annual income limits (Florida KidCare, effective April 2026):
| Family size | Medicaid | $15 a month | $20 a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Up to $28,782 | Up to $34,192 | Up to $43,280 |
| 3 | Up to $36,336 | Up to $43,166 | Up to $54,640 |
| 4 | Up to $43,890 | Up to $52,140 | Up to $66,000 |
| 5 | Up to $51,445 | Up to $61,115 | Up to $77,360 |
| 6 | Up to $58,999 | Up to $70,089 | Up to $88,720 |
Income isn’t the only rule: age, residency, citizenship or immigration status and other factors count too.
The key rule: KidCare or the tax credit, not both
- If your children qualify for KidCare, they can’t get the premium tax credit for a Marketplace plan. You can still add them to your plan, but you’d pay the full price for them.
- The rest of the family can still get help. Florida’s Medicaid limit for parents is very low, so a common setup is: children on KidCare, parents on a Marketplace plan with the tax credit if their income is at least 100% of the poverty level. See the 2027 ObamaCare income limits.
- If a child gets KidCare while on your Marketplace plan, HealthCare.gov says to end that child’s Marketplace coverage when KidCare starts (wait for the state’s final decision). If you keep the tax credit, you’ll have to pay it back when you file your taxes.
Example: a family of four
| Family income | Children | Parents |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 (about 121%) | Medicaid, no monthly premium | Marketplace plan with the tax credit |
| $60,000 (about 182%) | MediKids or Healthy Kids, $20 a month per family | Marketplace plan with the tax credit |
| $80,000 (about 242%) | The family’s Marketplace plan with the tax credit, or full-pay KidCare | Marketplace plan with the tax credit |
Examples only, using the 2026 poverty guidelines that apply to KidCare now and to 2027 Marketplace plans. Medicaid and the Marketplace count income and household in their own ways.
Above 200%: full-pay KidCare or the Marketplace?
- The Marketplace: above 200%, children no longer qualify for KidCare’s premium programs, so they can get the premium tax credit with the rest of the family. What you’re expected to pay for the benchmark Silver plan is set by household income, not by how many people are covered, so adding a child often raises the tax credit too.
- Full-pay KidCare: Florida Healthy Kids costs $276 a month per child, with dental; MediKids costs $248.21 a month per child.
- Compare the whole cost: the premium, the deductible, copays and the doctors in each network. Dental coverage for children must be available on the Marketplace, inside a health plan or as a separate dental plan, but you don’t have to buy it.
The 300% expansion: still on hold
A 2023 Florida law raised KidCare’s limit to 300% of the poverty level (about $99,000 for a family of four). As of September 2026, the state had not put it in place and gave no date, and families have gone to court over the delay. For now, the limit for KidCare’s premium programs is 200%. We’ll update this guide if that changes.
How and when to apply
- KidCare, any time of year: apply at floridakidcare.org or call 1-888-540-5437. If you apply on HealthCare.gov and a child may qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, the Marketplace sends the information to the state.
- Marketplace: Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Choose by December 15 for coverage on January 1.
- Losing KidCare or Medicaid (for example, because income went up) gives a Special Enrollment Period: generally 90 days on HealthCare.gov. See our Special Enrollment Period guide.
- Pay the KidCare premium every month. Florida removed more than 43,000 children from KidCare over 12 months for unpaid premiums, WUSF reported in September 2026.
- At 19, children age out of KidCare. Young adults can stay on a parent’s Marketplace plan until 26.
Frequently asked questions
Can my kids be on KidCare and on my Marketplace plan?
Not with the tax credit. HealthCare.gov says that once someone is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, they no longer qualify for savings on a Marketplace plan, and a child may no longer qualify for CHIP if you keep the Marketplace plan.
Does KidCare include dental?
Yes. HealthCare.gov says every state’s CHIP covers check-ups, vaccines, and dental and vision care. Check your child’s plan for details.
My income went up. What happens to my kids?
Report the change to KidCare and update your HealthCare.gov application. If your children lose KidCare, they can join your Marketplace plan with a Special Enrollment Period.
Can an agent sign my kids up for KidCare?
You apply for KidCare with the state. A licensed agent can help with your family’s Marketplace plan and compare, for children above 200%, the Marketplace with full-pay KidCare.
We help your whole family
We are a private insurance agency licensed in Florida (license L116417), based in Hialeah. We help families across Florida in English and Spanish: we check whether your children likely belong on KidCare or on your plan, find the parents’ Marketplace plan and tax credit, and compare doctors and medicines. Insurers pay us, so your premium is the same as if you enrolled on your own. Before we help with a Marketplace application, we ask for your consent.
Get a quote or call (786) 808-1802. See also how to keep your doctor in 2027.
Arte Insurance is a private insurance agency licensed in Florida (license L116417). We are not HealthCare.gov, Florida KidCare or any government agency. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice; KidCare and Marketplace rules and amounts can change. Florida KidCare decides your children’s eligibility.
Sources: Florida KidCare: income guidelines, effective April 2026 (PDF) · AHCA: Florida KidCare (CHIP) programs, ages and premiums · Florida Healthy Kids: apply online or call 1-888-540-KIDS · HealthCare.gov: changing from the Marketplace to Medicaid or CHIP · HealthCare.gov: the Children’s Health Insurance Program · HealthCare.gov: when you have both Marketplace and Medicaid or CHIP (July 2025, PDF) · KFF: children eligible for CHIP and premium tax credits · HealthCare.gov: dental coverage · WUSF: KidCare expansion and disenrollments (September 14, 2026) · Florida Policy Institute: the 2023 KidCare expansion law (March 2026)