Thousands of Wisconsin residents face the loss of health insurance (BadgerCare/Medicaid) that was supplied and guaranteed during the covid-19 pandemic. Now, many will lose coverage because the pandemic officially ends this spring. Thousands of people will no longer qualify because their incomes are “too high.”

The situation is worse in Wisconsin and ten other states because our rules to qualify for BadgerCare are among the strictest in the country; our former governor rejected federal assistance to expand Medicaid enrollment. That means that a person earning $1,215 or more per month, or $14,580 per year, is not eligible. Here’s a story from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities that lays out the case: “Leaders in these [eleven] states should prioritize expanding Medicaid to protect people’s coverage, and to take advantage of a well-timed boost in federal incentive funding available to states that newly expand…If they don’t, hundreds of thousands of people in these states stand to lose their Medicaid coverage, with no other affordable coverage option available to them.” 

We should move forward together toward covering as many people in our state with the best access to healthcare possible, not going even one step back by allowing people to be removed from Medicaid.

What can you do?
 
Sign WI Poor People’s Campaign’s (PPC) petition to the WI Joint Finance Committee TODAY
And SHARE it out to all your contacts and on social media! You can share the link or print a hard copy in English or en Español. If you collect hard copy signatures, please email wisconsin@poorpeoplescampaign.org to make a plan to get the pages delivered.
 
 Fill out PPC’s ‘Get Involved Form’ to connect about finding a way to be involved.
 
Do you know someone on Medicaid or excluded from Medicaid because you/they make too much money, because of immigration status or any other reason? Please get in touch with the campaign and learn how you can lend your voice and leadership to this fight!
Email us at wisconsin@poorpeoplescampaign.org
 
Plan to attend PPC’s Healthcare Day of Action at Madison’s statehouse Wednesday March 22, 10am.  Save the date! More details to come. Register here if you can join us!