Agencies across the state sent their budget requests to the Department of Administration for the upcoming biennium budget, which generated an ask for a $650 million increase in Medicaid. 

Each state agency was required to send their specific budgetary requests to Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch. 

A request from the Department of Health Services showed about $650 million more would be needed to fund the state’s Medicaid program. The request said this increase comes from various needs, including a higher number of enrollees, a decrease in federal matching funds, more services being used by current enrollees and the increasing health care costs.

DHS found approximately $20 million in savings in the Medicaid program. The department will begin implementing a new program that would check if applicants for the state’s Medicaid program actually live in Wisconsin.

“In order to improve program integrity, the department would use electronic databases to verify Wisconsin residency of Medicaid applicants,” the request said.

DOA spokesperson Stephanie Marquis said the requests operated as normal this year with all agencies making their requests to the DOA, which will then pass those requests on to Gov. Scott Walker. Walker then puts together a budget proposal based on merit from the requests.

Walker’s last budget proposal was the initial source of weeks of sustained protests at the Capitol in 2011, which drew thousands of people in protest of slashing collective bargaining rights.

\Marquis said all of the requests will go through extensive review by DOA and in January, Walker will send that budget, reflecting any changes he may make, for the Legislature to work on it. The Legislature would then send a passed budget back to Walker, who would ultimately approve the upcoming biennium budget. 

Vicky Holten, administrative assistant to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, said the Bureau will receive a copy of the governor’s budget proposal and will work with the Joint Committee on Finance to analyze the requests. 

A part of what DOA will be doing in the coming months, Holten said, is looking for any mistakes the requests may have.