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| Say Yes to Filling the Holes in BadgerCare |
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Accepting new federal health care reform dollars will expand health care freedom, create jobs, and save money
The Issue: One of the most important ways the new health care reform law expands coverage is filling the gaping holes in state Medicaid programs (BadgerCare in Wisconsin) guaranteeing coverage to low income adults. Currently, there are over 140,000 low income Wisconsinites on a waiting list for BadgerCare who are falling between the cracks. However, the U.S. Supreme Court gave states the option of turning down the money. Although a number of conservative Republican governors have said yes to the new Medicaid dollars, Gov. Scott Walker remains undecided. He is expected to announce his decision in his budget address on February 20th.
Values Statement: People who lack access to stable and affordable health coverage do not have a fair shot at the American dream. They face a constant threat of having their lives and careers devastated by health disasters that also become financial disasters. In the 21st Century you do not have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness if you cannot control your own health care decisions or have the peace of mind of knowing that health care will be there when you need it.
Belief Statement: The critical role of government is to step in and fill the gaps when the private market fails to provide equal economic and social opportunity. Filling the holes in BadgerCare is essential because the health insurance market has failed to provide low-income Wisconsinites with affordable health insurance options, and low-wage jobs are far less likely to include affordable coverage. On the other hand, Conservatives who oppose strengthening BadgerCare want to leave Wisconsinites who can’t afford essential medical care on their own.
Narrative: Siding with Tea Party extremists and special interests such as the big insurance companies, Scott Walker has done everything he can to sabotage health care reform. Walker needs to stop playing politics with the health freedom and security of average Wisconsinites.
Proof Points:
- If Governor Walker accepts the money, Wisconsin will get $12 billion dollars to fill the holes in BadgerCare over the over the next 10 years (Kaiser Family Foundation )
- The new federal money will extend BadgerCare to over 170,000 Wisconsinites who currently fall through the cracks in the program.. Within 10 years 211,000 additional Wisconsinites will have access to BadgerCare (Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Kaiser Family Foundation ).
- There are over 146,000 Wisconsinites on the BadgerCare waiting list (WI Department of Health and Family Services)
- The Medicaid (BadgerCare) provisions of the national health care reform law guarantee coverage to all citizens below 133% of the federal poverty level--$14,856 in annual income ($7.14 per hour) for a single individual and $20,123 ($9.67 per hour) for couples. (Wisconsin Council on Children and Families )
- This massive federal investment will also create jobs. According to an independent analysis by Jack Norman commissioned by Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, the $12 billion in federal money for BadgerCare will generate a net of 10,000 new jobs.
- These new jobs will especially benefit women. Medicaid spending currently creates over 65,000 jobs in Wisconsin’s health professions, 80% of which are held by women (National Women’s Law Center)
- The Walker Administration has falsely suggested that filling the holes in BadgerCare would be very costly for the state (Wisconsin State Journal). According to the most authoritative national research, Wisconsin would actually save a total of at least $495 million over the next ten years by accepting the federal money to fill the holes in BadgerCare (Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Wisconsin would save $248 million over the next ten years by accepting the increased Medicaid money because the federal government would pay over 90% of the costs of coverage for many current BadgerCare recipients for which the feds currently pay only 60% of the costs (Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Wisconsin would also save an additional $247 million in the cost of uncompensated medical care because more people would have health coverage (Kaiser Family Foundation).
- Not taking the money would be costly for Wisconsin business. According to an analysis by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, it would raise federal taxes on WI businesses by as much as $120 million due to fines when their employees enroll in the new health care exchange. No fine occurs of employees enroll in Medicaid/Badger
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Healthcare
