Wisconsin’s BadgerCare Plus Core Plan has gained so much popularity recently that changes will most likely need to be made to accommodate all applicants.
BadgerCare Plus, a program created in 2008 to provide affordable health care to low-income adults and children, was expanded by Gov. Jim Doyle in July to cover childless adults, like college students.
According to Stephanie Smiley, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the harsh economy is partly to blame for the large influx of BadgerCare Plus applicants because more people are out of work.
Smiley said the program currently has around 26,000 people enrolled and another 34,000 applicants to review. BadgerCare Plus, however, has an enrollment cap of approximately 50,000 people and a funding cap of $154 million in federal and state dollars.
“It is not an immediate risk right now that we are going to be close to the 50,000 mark because every month we do see about 10 percent of the members go off the program, either because they found a job or whatever reason,” Smiley said.
Smiley added one of the options DHS is considering is implementing a waiting list so those who cannot be accepted right away will not need to keep reapplying periodically. Another option, Smiley said, is to adjust the benefits to only offer those that are immediately necessary.
According to Smiley, DHS is keeping a close eye on the situation and is working to find the best solution, but she said the program enrollment should not overflow in the near future. She added this also shows the need for health care reform because many people are in a position where they need more options.
Erin McBride, an attorney for the public interest law firm ABC for Health and UW lecturer for consumer science, said one of the biggest concerns is what is in store for the program and those who are eligible.
“The state has been pretty vague about the future,” McBride said. “If there is a waiting list, it is hard to say when those people will be helped and what will happen if they don’t get to everyone on the waiting list.”
McBride also said because the program is geared toward a younger demographic, the health costs are considerably lower than a senior program.
According to McBride, BadgerCare Plus does not promote itself enough and needs to implement more outreach and enrollment centers.
“One thing we talk about in our office is that you can’t have an ‘if you build it, they will come’ policy,” McBride said. “It could be the best program in the world, but people will not know about it, and if there isn’t a good infrastructure, then you will have a waste of money.”
McBride added the state should not use the excuse that BadgerCare Plus is better than nothing. According to McBride, the state needs to use this problem as a motivation to make the program more streamlined.
