Wisconsin is one of just 11 states that haven't expanded health care coverage to low-income working Americans under the Affordable Care Act.

 

The Wisconsin legislature has refused to expand Medicaid, even though it would make about 91,000 more people eligible for BadgerCare Plus in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services projects this would overwhelmingly benefit families with children with 61,000 parents benefitting. It would also benefit the estimated 19,000 Wisconsin veterans living in poverty. 

 

Accepting federal money for Medicaid expansion would increase the minimum income threshold to qualify from 100% of the federal poverty rate to 138%. In 2023, that means an individual earning $20,120 or a family of four earning $41,400 would qualify for Medicaid—people who are working hard but not earning enough to get by. 

 

Adopting Medicaid expansion would bring $1.6 billion in new federal funding into Wisconsin. This funding would free up the state budget currently being used to subsidize Badger Care waivers for some of the population and allow the state to invest that money in much needed programs and projects across the state. 

 

In a new survey, 70% of Wisconsin voters say they support expanding the state’s BadgerCare program.