I'm glad I have it, but...: Parents' experiences with Florida's children's health insurance program

Background: Access to health insurance for low-income children is important for their overall health and wellbeing, yet Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the nation. Understanding parents' experiences with the state children's health insurance program may provide insight into how to resolve this issue. This qualitative study provided in-depth information about the enrollment and service utilization experiences of parents whose children were enrolled in Florida's public children's health insurance program. Methods: Participants were recruited using information contained in a data entry sheet that was collected during enrollment outreach. An in-depth, qualitative interview was conducted with each participant. Results: Interviews were conducted with 17 parents of enrolled children. Most participants were female (87.5%), White (43.8%), and employed (81.3%). The majority of participants felt that the insurance program was important for families who need health insurance for their children. Participants described facing obstacles during multiple points in the system, including difficulty navigating the enrollment system; delays in learning whether they had been accepted into the program; communication challenges, including lack of appropriate information about their children's insurance coverage and providers that accepted it; and some dissatisfaction with services provided by the health care providers. Conclusion: To successfully obtain and retain health insurance coverage for their children, parents must be able to understand and navigate the system. Increased attention to parents' experiences with state children's health insurance programs, especially the obstacles that they face to enrolling in and utilizing services, is necessary in order to make changes.