About NICA
NICA is a statutory organization that manages state funds used to pay for the care of children born with certain neurological injuries.
NICA benefits are available to eligible children statewide on a no-fault basis. NICA is governed by a 7-member Board of Directors who are appointed by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.
Upon admission to the NICA program, a newly accepted family receives an initial payment of $281,377.20* (referred to as “parent award”). The family is assigned a case manager who works with them to be reimbursed for all medically necessary and reasonable expenses. Families are also eligible to receive a reliable transportation benefit as well as a one-time housing benefit of $100,000.
*This amount is for 2025. The amount is increased by 3% each January 1.
Our History
Florida faced a medical malpractice crisis in the 1970s and 80s. During that time, obstetrics malpractice claims rose sharply and medical liability insurance skyrocketed.
Therefore, in 1986, the Legislature created a special task force to study the Florida medical malpractice crisis and address the OB-GYN impact on that crisis. The task force evaluated the rising insurance costs and reported that litigation costs and attorney’s fees had increased between 1975 and 1986, but there was no particular change in substantive law to account for the change. Moreover, some physicians became reluctant to treat high-risk patients and practice certain high-risk specialties altogether. In 1985, OB-GYNs in Florida paid an average medical malpractice liability premium of $92,830, compared to a national average for OB-GYNs of $23,300.
In response, the Florida Legislature created the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA) in 1988 to promote and protect the health and best interests of children with birth‐related neurological injuries who have been accepted into the plan by striving to ensure that their medically necessary needs are being met. NICA is a no-fault alternative to medical malpractice lawsuits for the kind of injuries that carry the highest cost and system impact. The program shifts those costly cases out of the tort system, which helped to stabilize Florida’s medical malpractice insurance market and encouraged Florida’s obstetricians to continue delivering babies.
By eliminating costly legal proceedings, NICA ensures that birth-injured infants receive the care they need while reducing the financial burden on both medical providers and families.