Protect Our Care: Wisconsin health care leaders highlight value of Medicaid in providing access to care, urge GOP lawmakers to expand BadgerCare

WISCONSIN — Right this moment, State Representatives Greta Neubauer (Racine) and Kristina Shelton (Inexperienced Bay) joined Shield Our Care and Peggy M., from Tomahawk, WI to debate the important position Medicaid performs in offering Wisconsinites with entry to high quality, inexpensive well being care, and urge Republican lawmakers to lastly settle for the federal growth of Medicaid out there below the Inexpensive Care Act (ACA).

Medicaid growth is important to growing entry to high quality, inexpensive well being protection and would convey greater than $1.5 billion in federal tax income again to Wisconsin in 2021-22 alone. Analysis has proven that Medicaid protection improves well being outcomes, strengthens economies, and saves lives.

There has by no means been a greater time for Wisconsin to increase Medicaid.

“Throughout Wisconsin, there are numerous tales of oldsters who’re going through unimaginable decisions in terms of their well being,” stated State Rep. Neubauer. “This session, the Republican-controlled legislature missed quite a few alternatives to increase Medicaid for our fellow Wisconsinites. Regardless of public assist and federal incentives, Republicans continued to disregard the calls to increase Medicaid.”

Peggy M. from Tomahawk, WI is a kind of Wisconsinites who needed to face an unimaginable selection prior to now as a consequence of Medicaid eligibility necessities. When she and her husband of greater than 30 years discovered themselves simply $100 above the earnings cut-off for Medicaid they discovered a substitute for making certain they may get well being protection they may afford – divorce. As single adults every of them would have the flexibility to mix their Medicaid and Medicare plans, based mostly on their mounted earnings, to get the protection they wanted.

“It’s simply silly,” stated Peggy, “there’s no different phrase for it!”

Rep. Shelton underscored the worth of entry to well being care, “Whether or not it’s gender affirming care, a yearly test up, entry to counseling and psychological well being professionals, preventive screenings, or well being training in our faculties – let’s be clear – healthcare is a human proper.” She went on so as to add that, “Wisconsin is well beyond due in taking motion on one of many MOST frequent sense methods to make healthcare extra inexpensive and accessible for all – and that’s increasing Medicaid. However, it’s not too late. We will nonetheless take motion.”