LWVWI Supports full Medicaid Expansion under BadgerCare
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin believes that every resident of our state should have access to affordable, quality health care. To that end, we advocate for full Medicaid Expansion under BadgerCare. Specifically, we support the Governor’s proposal to expand BadgerCare eligibility to cover an additional 82,000 more adults, by lifting the income eligibility ceiling for a single individual from $12,490/year to $17,236/year.
“Wisconsin taxpayers have been sending money to Washington for Medicaid Expansion for several years, but for ideological reasons our state government has consistently turned down the opportunity to get those federal dollars back. That is unacceptable. It is high time that Wisconsin accept the available federal Medicaid funding and apply it to improving healthcare right here in our state,” said Erin Grunze, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.
Medicaid Expansion is a keystone measure in the Governor’s budget because it would increase federal funding for health care in Wisconsin and yield a net savings for state taxpayers of about $324 million in the biennium. The proposed budget uses these funds to provide desperately needed funding for such things as: more inspectors for assisted living facilities; training of nurse educators and dental therapists; a Healthy Women/Healthy Babies Initiative to address racial disparities in children's and maternal health; enhanced lead abatement and access to treatment for children exposed to lead, including $1 million for children in families that are not eligible for Medicaid.
“Medicaid Expansion will help keep healthcare costs down, and it will return significant federal tax dollars to our state. It is an obvious win-win for Wisconsin,” Grunze said.
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The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is a nonpartisan political organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government. There are 20 local Leagues throughout Wisconsin. More information at lwvwi.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2, 2019
Contact: Erin Grunze, Executive Director; 608-256-0827; egrunze [at] lwvwi.org
