Florida Dental Access Guide

What to Expect After You Apply

If you are eligible for FLORIDA MEDICAID, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will send you a letter asking you to choose a medical and/or dental plan.

  • For help you can call a Choice Counselor toll-free at 1-877-711-3662 (TTY 1-866-467-4970).
  • Medicaid enrollees who do not voluntarily choose a plan will automatically be enrolled into a managed care plan.
  • Receive a welcome packet from your plan. If you want to change plans, you will have 120 days to choose another plan.

Every adult and child who is eligible for LORIDA MEDICAID will get a Gold Identification Card.

  • If you receive care through fee-for-service, always take your gold card with you to the doctor, the pharmacy, the hospital, or any medical service.
  • To request a replacement card, call 850-300-4323.
  • If you are enrolled in a health or dental plan, you will also receive a membership card from your plan. Always take your plan membership card with you when you receive medical or dental care.
  • Those on Medicaid can print a temporary Medicaid card from their MyACCESS Account

For more information about how to use your Gold Card and other helpful tips, use this brochure.

To prepare for your first dental visit, please visit our Roadmap for assistance.

Early Steps – Services for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs

Children under the age of 3 with significant delays or a condition likely to result in a developmental delay are served by the Florida’s Early Steps Program within the Department of Health. The program is an early intervention system that supports families and caregivers to increase their child’s participation in daily activities and routines.

  • There are 15 Local Early Steps (LES) throughout the state where infants and toddlers are assessed to determine eligibility (physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive).
  • Each child receives an Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP) that meets his or her unique needs.
  • There is no income requirement to qualify for the program and families are not charged for services.

Children under the age of 3 with significant delays or a condition likely to result in a developmental delay are served by the Florida’s Early Steps Program within the Department of Health. The program is an early intervention system that supports families and caregivers to increase their child’s participation in daily activities and routines.

For more information, call 1- (800) 218-0001 or visit https://floridaearlysteps.com. 

Who to Contact Regarding Medicaid

Agencies directly involved with the florida medicaid program:

The AHCA Medicaid Helpline

  • If you are having issues/concerns with your health or dental plan or fee-for-service Medicaid
  • Fee-for-service Medicaid benefits and covered services
  • Fee-for-service Medicaid co-payments
  • Fee-for-service Medicaid provider billing issues
  • Locating fee-for-service Medicaid providers
  • Choosing a Medicaid health or dental plan
  • Changing your Medicaid health or dental plan

If you are enrolled in a health or dental plan, call your plan for information on providers and covered services. If you need help finding contact information for your plan, or if you are not enrolled in a plan, call our Medicaid Helpline at 1-877-254-1055 or visit
www.ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid.

Your Medicaid Health Plan

  • Locating a doctor
  • The services your plan covers
  • Transportation to access covered services
  • Other general questions you may have
Call your Medicaid health plan for any questions about your Medicaid services. If you need help finding contact information for your plan, call our Medicaid Helpline at 1-877-254-1055 or visit www.ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid.

Your Medicaid Dental Plan

  • Locating a dentist
  • The services your plan covers
  • Other general questions you may have
Call your Medicaid dental plan for any questions about your Medicaid services. For transportation to dental appointments, you will need to call your health plan. If you are not enrolled in a health plan, call our Medicaid Helpline at 1-877-254-1055 or visit www.ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid.

The Medicaid Choice Counseling Hotline

  • Choosing a Medicaid health or dental plan
  • Changing your Medicaid health or dental plan
  • If you have questions about the member portal
  • Information about the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) progra
  • If you are having issues/concerns with your health or dental plan

Call the Medicaid Choice Counseling Hotline at 1-877-711-3662 or visit www.flmedicaidmanagedcare.com. 

The Social Security Office

  • Florida residents who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are automatically eligible for Florida Medicaid
  • Reporting address changes
  • Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SSI

Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov. 

Department of Elder Affairs

  • Information about long-term care services
  • Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)
  • Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE)

Call the Department of Elder Affairs at 1-800-963-5337 or visit www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us. 

The Department of Children and Families

  • Medicaid eligibility requirements and applying for Medicaid benefits
  • Denial or termination of Medicaid eligibility
  • Share of Cost/Medically Needy Program
  • Reporting lost Medicaid Gold Cards
  • Medicare Buy-in Programs
  • Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)
  • Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)
  • Qualifying Individual I (QI1)
  • Proof of prior Medicaid health coverage
  • Reporting an address change
  • Reporting changes or adding household members
  • Notice of Case Action letter
  • Institutional Care Program (ICP)
  • Eligibility for Nursing Facilities and Hospice

Call the Department of Children and Families at 1-850-300-4323 or visit www.myflorida.com/accessflorida.

Additional Resources

The Florida Kidcare Program

Florida KidCare is a health insurance program for children in Florida. It includes Medicaid for children and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Enrollment is based on the age of the child, family income and health care needs. Florida KidCare programs:
  • Medicaid for children
  • Birth through age 18 years
  • CHIP programs
  • MediKids - for uninsured children ages 1 through 4 years
  • Healthy Kids - for uninsured children ages 5 through 18 years
  • Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Plan - for uninsured children ages 1 through 18 years with special health care needs

Call Florida KidCare at 1-800-821-5437 or visit www.floridakidcare.org for information on enrollment and payment amounts. 

Medicare

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant (sometimes called ESRD)
  • Sign Up/Change Plans
  • What Medicare covers (including drugs)
  • Claims and Appeals

Call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov. 

The toolkit is a project of the The Florida Oral Health Alliance.

This website is managed by Florida Voices for Health, a coalition of community organizations, businesses, and individuals working to create a health care system that works for every Floridian.

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