Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates Unveil BadgerCare Expansion Plans
Three candidates in the race for the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial nomination have unveiled proposals to expand BadgerCare, which provides health coverage for state residents who do not qualify for Medicaid, the AP/St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Under BadgerCare eligibility rules, families must earn less than 185% of the federal poverty level, or about $27,787 for a family of three, to qualify for the program. Some beneficiaries must pay monthly premiums based on the level of their annual incomes. About 98,094 state residents had enrolled in BadgerCare through June 30. Summaries of the proposals from the three Democratic candidates appear below.
- Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk: Falk would increase the BadgerCare income eligibility requirement to 300% of the federal poverty level, which would allow as many as 50,000 additional individuals to enroll in the program. She would fund the proposal, which would cost an estimated $68 million over four years, with a 85-cent per pack increase in the state's cigarette tax.
- Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle: Doyle would increase the BadgerCare income eligibility requirement to 200% of the federal poverty level. He did not estimate the number of individuals who would qualify for the program under the proposal or the cost of the proposal.
- Rep. Tom Barrett (D-Wis.): Barrett would revise the BadgerCare income eligibility requirement for self-employed families and farmers. Under the proposal, BadgerCare would no longer consider the depreciation of farm equipment as income, which would allow an additional 5,000 to 10,000 individuals to enroll in the program. The proposal would cost the state about $6 million to $9 million per year.
