Baldwin, Ryan Lead Bipartisan Push for BadgerCare

Letter

Baldwin, Ryan Lead Bipartisan Push for BadgerCare

Led by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), nine Members of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation today appealed to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to grant Wisconsin a waiver to further expand its BadgerCare Plus program and give more Wisconsin residents access to affordable health care.

Under federal rules, states are limited in the ways they can use federal Medicaid funds. Medicaid is the federal-state health insurance program for people with low incomes. Wisconsin has been a leader among states seeking innovative ways to expand health care coverage to all its residents. Last year, Wisconsin received a waiver to institute BadgerCare Plus, a Medicaid-funded program which provides health insurance for all children under the age of 19 years. The State now seeks a waiver for a second phase of BadgerCare Plus that will provide affordable health care coverage to low-income, uninsured, childless adults for implementation on January 1, 2009.

In a letter sent today, Reps. Baldwin and Ryan, joined by Senators Kohl and Feingold and Representatives Obey, Petri, Kind, Moore, and Kagen asked Secretary Leavitt to grant a waiver that would provide access to health care coverage for an estimated 81,000 chronically uninsured adult Wisconsin residents.

Along with today's letter, Baldwin and Ryan issued the following joint statement:

"BadgerCare Plus provides an innovative and financially responsible path toward ensuring the health and well-being of our state's most vulnerable individuals. We are proud to work together and grateful for the support of other Members of our state delegation in offering this bipartisan letter of endorsement. We hope Secretary Leavitt will do the right thing and grant the waiver."

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle expressed appreciation for the Congressional support. "Here in Wisconsin, we have found a way to extend health insurance this year to 72,000 children. Now, we are looking at an innovative and responsible way to build on this success and get coverage for more people who need health insurance. I applaud Rep. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Paul Ryan for their efforts," Doyle said.

Baldwin and Ryan expressed hope that this letter of Congressional support will prompt a timely decision on Wisconsin's waiver request by the Department of Health and Human Services.

A copy of the text of the letter to Secretary Leavitt follows:

June 10, 2008

The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
Secretary
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Secretary Leavitt:

We are writing in support of Wisconsin's waiver request to expand its BadgerCare Plus program to include health care coverage for uninsured childless adults.

In January 2006, Governor Doyle announced the first phase of this strategy, BadgerCare Plus, which provides health insurance for all kids. Wisconsin implemented that program with your approval on February 1, 2008. Wisconsin is now proposing a second phase that will provide affordable health care coverage to low-income, uninsured childless adults for implementation on January 1, 2009.

This proposed waiver will ensure that 98% of Wisconsin residents have access to affordable health care coverage and will provide coverage to a chronically uninsured population. Childless adults (ages 19 to 64) would qualify for BadgerCare Plus if their gross income was below 200% of the federal poverty level. The benefit for childless adults will provide access to basic health care services, including primary and preventive care and generic drugs, but will be less comprehensive than traditional Medicaid. Individuals would not be eligible if they had health insurance coverage or access to health insurance coverage in the previous 12 months. To identify and address chronic health issues, Wisconsin will require that each childless adult complete a health needs assessment. Furthermore, Wisconsin will require that each enrollee receive a comprehensive physical exam within one year of joining the program. This innovation is unique to Wisconsin Medicaid.

This proposal, which we understand to be budget neutral, will allow Wisconsin the flexibility to make coverage and benefit decisions which best meet the need of beneficiaries. By emphasizing preventive and primary health care options, we believe this proposal will significantly improve upon the services that are currently available.

We encourage you to approve Wisconsin's request for a waiver of federal law to expand BadgerCare Plus to low-income childless adults. This expansion will provide access to health care coverage to an estimated 81,000 chronically uninsured Wisconsin residents with little or no access to health care. We appreciate your timely consideration of Wisconsin's waiver request.

Sincerely,

Tammy Baldwin Paul Ryan
Member of Congress Member of Congress

Herb Kohl Russ Feingold
United States Senate United States Senate

David Obey Tom Petri
Member of Congress Member of Congress

Ron Kind Gwen Moore
Member of Congress Member of Congress

Steve Kagen, M.D.
Member of Congress

Source