CMS Network

Purpose
The CMS Network is a comprehensive managed system of care for Medicaid or Florida KidCare children with special health care needs who are enrolled in the CMS Network.  Children with special health care needs are those children under age 21 whose serious or chronic physical, developmental or behavioral conditions require extensive preventive and maintenance care beyond that required by typically healthy children.

Authority
The CMS Network is a Division of the Children's Medical Services Program within the Florida Department of Health. Children's Medical Services is Florida's Title V Agency, and serves the State's children with special health care needs.  Authority for the CMS Network is established in Chapter 391, Florida Statutes and 64C, Florida Administrative Code. 

Description
The CMS Network provides children with special health care needs a family-centered, comprehensive, and coordinated statewide managed system of care that links community-based health care with multidisciplinary, regional, and tertiary pediatric care. CMS offers a full range of care which includes prevention and early intervention services; primary and specialty care; as well as long term care for medically complex, fragile children.  

Services are provided through 22 local CMS area offices located throughout the state.  A team of trained nursing and social work professionals and support staff at each CMS area office coordinate primary and specialty care services with the family through their local medical community.  CMS maintains a statewide panel of physicians who are experienced and certified in pediatrics and related subspecialties. 

Eligibility
Children must meet both clinical and financial eligibility criteria for the program.

Clinical Eligibility - Children must be clinically eligible, that is they must have special health care needs. Children with special health care needs are children who need extra or specialized care such as medical services, therapies, supplies or equipment due to their chronic medical, behavioral or developmental conditions.

Financial Eligibility - Children must be financially eligible by being:

• a Medicaid recipient who is under 21 years old or,
• a Florida KidCare enrollee under 19 years old or,
• a member of a family whose family income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and who do not qualify for Title XIX or Title XXI.

Contact Information
Additional information about the program is available on the Children's Medical Services website which also contains links to other resources and information.