State Expansions: Wisconsin
In November 2007, Wisconsin lawmakers successfully enacted a bill to expand coverage to all uninsured children in the state. Governor Doyle’s BadgerCare Plus plan was passed as part of the Biennial Budget Bill. The plan expands eligibility levels for children, parents/caretakers, and pregnant women in Medicaid and BadgerCare (the CHIP program in Wisconsin). The new program, which started up in February 2008, also allows parents to get coverage for their uninsured children by buying into BadgerCare Plus, no matter what their family income is. For an in depth look at the Wisconsin expansion, see Wisconsin's 2007 Health Care Proposal: BadgerCare Plus (Families USA, July 2007).
Another proposal, called Healthy Wisconsin, would build on BadgerCare Plus to provide comprehensive, affordable health coverage to all people in the state. Healthy Wisconsin passed the Senate during the 2007 legislative session, but was not enacted. Lawmakers reintroduced the bill in 2008, and although it did not pass, Senate leaders remain supportive of the proposal and will likely hold public hearings on it during the summer of 2009. For more information about the Healthy Wisconsin proposal, see Healthy Wisconsin: Good Medicine for Wisconsin's Economy (Families USA, July 2007).
In an encouraging sign of progress, in November 2008, Wisconsin voters in 22 communities voted in favor of an advisory referendum asking lawmakers to enact health reform that provides all Wisconsinites coverage as good as lawmakers receive.
Also in fall 2008, federal officials announced preliminary approval of a Medicaid waiver to further expand BadgerCare Plus to cover non-parent adults with income below 200 percent of poverty level ($20,800 a year for an individual in 2008). In addition to meeting the income requirement, eligible adults must also have been uninsured for the past year and must not have an offer of job-based coverage. Non-parent adults will not receive the full Medicaid benefit package, but instead will receive "core" benefits such as primary and preventive care, specialty care, generic drugs, and emergency and inpatient hospital services through an HMO. To enroll, individuals must pay a $60 non-refundable fee and undergo a health assessment. The BadgerCare Plus expansion started in Milwaukee in January 2009 and will go into effect statewide on July 1, 2009.
Wisconsin Expansion Resources
Wisconsin in the News
- Doyle Unveils New Health Insurance Plan for Adults (Channel 3000, January 22, 2010)
- Waiting List Grows for Health Care Program for Childless Adults (Journal Sentinel, November 17, 2009)
- BadgerCare Plus Tops out, Enrollment Suspended (The Business Journal of Milwaukee, October 5, 2009)
- BadgerCare Plus Application Period Starts June 15 (Associated Press, May 25, 2009)
- New Life for Healthy Wisconsin (Wisconsin Radio Network, April 3, 2009)
- A Roundup of Top Health Issues Likely to Come before State Lawmakers (The Capital Times, December 10, 2008)
- State Senate Democrats Will Try to Revive Universal Health Care Plan (Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, November 12, 2008)
- Wisconsin Health Care Referendum Wins Big (Green Bay Press Gazette, November 7, 2008)
- Tentative Deal to Extend Health Care to More Wisconsin Adults (WKOW 27, October 31, 2008)
- Child coverage expands in state (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, January 31, 2008)
- Health care costs unequal: Coalition's study of fees around the state reveals differences of up to $3,800 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 4, 2007)
- State Moves on Health Insurance for Children: BadgerCare Plus to Be Available to All Kids Regardless of Income (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, November 7, 2007)
For general resources on state expansions, see Other Resources.
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