Wisconsin Gov. Doyle Announces Details of Plan To Extend Health Coverage to All Children
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) on Wednesday announced details of the BadgerCare Plus program, which seeks to provide every child in the state with affordable health coverage beginning Feb. 1, 2008, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. According to a state survey, about 71,000 children in the state were uninsured at a point in time during 2006. Families with incomes up to $38,202 are eligible for existing state programs, and their incomes can increase to $41,300 once they are enrolled.
Under BadgerCare Plus, families with incomes greater than those limits will be able to purchase basic health coverage for their children for $10 to $68.53 per month, depending on income. The health plans do not include prescription drug coverage, and families will be required to contribute copayments. The state will subsidize insurance costs for families with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level, and families with incomes greater than 300% of the poverty level will be required to contribute the full cost of coverage through monthly premiums and copays. Along with premiums and copays, the state plans to fund the program with savings from streamlining state programs and expanding the use of HMOs.
In addition, the state will implement several changes to make enrolling in state health programs easier, such as "fast-track enrollment" that will provide children with temporary insurance cards until their applications are complete. Other changes include a requirement that families only report major changes to their income, which will help reduce administrative costs by about $12 million, and the state hopes to create a system in which patients at community health centers or hospitals can apply directly to the state for coverage. Jason Helgerson, the state's Medicaid director, said the implementation of the changes will take about two years and acknowledged that reaching some children will be difficult (Boulton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/8).
