A new study released by the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that the state’s BadgerCare program is expanding health insurance coverage to families across Wisconsin. Governor Doyle’s plan to expand this highly successful program, BadgerCare Plus, will ensure that every Wisconsin family, regardless of income, can buy affordable, comprehensive health care coverage for their kids.
“Every child in Wisconsin deserves to have high quality, comprehensive health care,” Governor Doyle said. "Wisconsin's BadgerCare program is a model for the nation in providing health insurance to working families and kids. Under BadgerCare Plus, we will build on our success and ensure that every child in Wisconsin has access to quality health care.”
The report by the La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Institute for Research on Poverty confirms that BadgerCare has indeed increased health care coverage to 25 percent of all adults leaving welfare. The BadgerCare program was created to help working poor families leave the welfare rolls and find full-time employment without having to give up their health insurance.
These families, and many others, are now working and have access to quality health care. But as they continue to prosper and their incomes increase, families risk surpassing the income limits for BadgerCare. Current income eligibility is set at 185 percent of the federal poverty level (roughly $30,000 for a family of 3), and enrollment can continue until a family's income grows to 200 percent of the poverty level. These families are forced to decide between taking a promotion at work and health care coverage for their kids.
Governor Doyle’s proposal to create BadgerCare Plus will mean that no family in Wisconsin will ever have to decide between taking a promotion at work or providing health care for their kids. The uninsured rate for kids is rising fastest among “near poor” children. Many of these families have incomes just above the ceiling for BadgerCare.
BadgerCare Plus is specifically designed to address this problem and will ensure access to affordable health insurance for all families without spending more taxpayer money. The
program will be funded entirely out of savings generated by cutting red tape and more efficient health care services for families.
In Wisconsin, seven percent of residents were without health insurance at any given point in time in 2004. This included 91,000 children who were without health insurance for at least part of the year. According to the Institute of Medicine, uninsured children are less likely than insured children to receive preventive check ups and immunizations or get their prescriptions filled.
Federal funding through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a critical part of both BadgerCare and BadgerCare Plus. Last month, Governor Doyle joined with Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey to urge Congress to address the pending-shortfall in the program, which poses a great risk to the health insurance of more than 600,000 low-income children nationwide – including 28,000 kids and 65,000 adults enrolled in the BadgerCare program.
To read a summary of the UW-Madison study, visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2005.12.005 or contact Barbara Wolfe, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 608-262-3581
To learn more about BadgerCare Plus, visit http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus
