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PUBLICATIONS
Do the Proposed Changes to BadgerCare Constitute a Test of the Affordable Care Act? This two-page paper analyzes and debunks the DHS contention that granting a demonstration waiver for the proposed BadgerCare changes would serve as a test of measures that will be required or allowed by federal law in 2014 (December 12, 2011).
A Comparative Summary of the DHS Proposals for BadgerCare Changes and the Changes the State Plans to Make if the MOE Waivers Aren't Granted. This short paper compares the potential effects of the BadgerCare changes proposed by DHS and approved by the Joint Finance Committee with the changes in adult eligibility that DHS plans to make if Wisconsin does not receive a federal waiver of the "maintenance of effort" (MOE) requirements (November 14, 2011).
Analyzing the Effects of the Proposed BadgerCare Changes: How Will the DHS Proposals Affect Health Care for Children? On October 31, the Dept. of Health Services (DHS) unveiled its proposals for waivers to substantially change Medicaid and BadgerCare. This WCCF paper reviews the scariest portion of the Halloween eve proposals, which would significantly reduce access to health care for Wisconsin children (November 11, 2011).
A Work in Progress: Our Growing List of Questions about the Proposed Changes to BadgerCare. The Department of Health Services has outlined a 39-point plan for cutting $554 million from Medicaid and BadgerCare. However, the department’s plans appear to be a work in progress, as is our long list of questions about the Department’s proposals (October 17, 2011).
A Doctor When We Need One: Access to Healthcare in Wisconsin for Immigrant Children and Families. Check out this latest WisKids Count brief. Access to health care is fundamental to the healthy development of all children. But for children in immigrant families in Wisconsin, seeing the family doctor is not always easy. (Fall 2011).
Summary of the Medicaid and BadgerCare Cost-Cutting Initiatives Proposed by the Department of Health Services.
This WCCF paper is a preliminary analysis of the DHS proposed changes, to cut $554 million in BadgerCare and Medicaid spending. It outlines the changes to eligibility, benefits, payment reform, and service delivery, including some preliminary thoughts about the consequences of these changes. The summary is limited to the new cost-savings introduced by DHS on September 30th (October 10, 2011).
Overview of Consequences of Wisconsin DHS Proposal to cut $554 million from Medicaid. Save BadgerCare Coalition's "Overview of Consequences of Wisconsin DHS Proposal to cut $554 million from Medicaid" (October 6, 2011).
What’s At Stake with Possible Medicaid/BadgerCare Waiver Policy Changes?
In coming weeks, the WI Department of Health Services will be submitting a waiver to the federal government in order to make the budget-required $467 million in cuts to BadgerCare and Medicaid. This short paper overviews some potential proposals which would have detrimental effects for WI’s health care system and make it difficult for families to maintain the health coverage they need (September 9, 2011).
BadgerCare Plus: Who’s Eligible, for What, and at What Price? This WCCF paper describes who is eligible for BadgerCare Plus, what they are eligible for, and what their premiums are (updated August 16, 2011).
From Evidence to Action: Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy in Wisconsin
Based on the PolicyLab Brief, “Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy. In this paper, we outline the three areas of evidence and action identified by PolicyLab, and report on the current state of Wisconsin policy efforts in each area (Summer 2011).
Comparison of Medicaid Policy-Making Changes in Act 10 and the Biennial Budget Bill. This one-page paper compares the provisions relating to Medicaid policy-making in the biennial budget bill with the similar portions it is repealing and replacing in the budget repair bill. In addition to providing a succinct comparison of the two bills, it links to a much more thorough WCCF analysis of the changes (June 21, 2011).
Budget Bill Approves Sweeping Shift in Authority for Medicaid Policymaking. This WCCF paper summarizes the portions of the amended budget bill granting the Department of Health Services authority to make sweeping changes in Wisconsin’s Medicaid-related programs. The paper compares those provisions with the similar Medicaid portions of Act 10, the budget repair bill (Updated June 21, 2011).
Senators Must Resolve Conflict between Act 10 and JFC Budget: Will Public Have Input into Future Medicaid Policy Decisions? Both the budget bill and budget repair bill contain similar provisions transferring Medicaid policy making authority to the Dept. of Health Services. This one-page paper compares those parts of the two bills, particularly the difference regarding whether public hearings will be required before DHS makes policy changes that supersede state statutes (June 16, 2011).
Performance Bonus Funds for Children’s Health Coverage. This is a one-page WCCF background paper about the $23 million performance bonus funding Wisconsin is receiving for its success in cutting red tape and increasing enrollment of low-income children in BadgerCare Plus (December 24, 2010).
Medicaid Fiscal Relief – An Effective Prescription for an Ailing Economy -- This report examines the role that enhanced federal Medicaid cost-sharing has played in helping Wisconsin cope with a huge drop in employer-sponsored insurance during the recession (August 5, 2010).
Major CHIPRA Provisions – Comments, Questions and Recommendations Relating to Wisconsin Implementation -- The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) has given states additional funding and numerous policy options that can help protect and improve access to health insurance for children. This issue brief summarizes and comments on the more significant CHIPRA provisions and what they mean for Wisconsin. It also identifies some of the remaining questions that need to be answered before advocates and state policy makers decide which additional CHIPRA options should be priorities for implementation in Wisconsin (Updated July 8, 2010).
Immigrants and BadgerCare Plus –This short fact sheet answers questions about the eligibility of immigrants for BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid. It was originally prepared by the Department of Health Services and was updated by WCCF to reflect the expansion of coverage to certain lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women (February 13, 2010).
Sorting Out Which Immigrant Groups Are Eligible for BadgerCare Plus – This short paper examines which immigrant groups are and aren’t affected by Wisconsin’s implementation of the option to allow lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant immigrants to participate in BadgerCare Plus. It notes that there is still some uncertainty about whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will allow certain additional categories of immigrants to be covered (February 12, 2010).
Comparing the House and Senate Health Care Reform Bills – This document summarizes some of the similarities between the House and Senate health care reform bills and includes a side-by-side comparison of many of the differences, particularly with respect to the issue areas most relevant to coverage of children and families (January 29, 2010).
Building On Our Strength: Achieving Equity in Health Outcomes for Children and Families in Wisconsin – This brief examines the state’s race-based disparities in a number of key health indicators, and recommends several strategies for addressing these gaps (Winter 2010).
Improving Health Care for Pregnant Immigrants in Wisconsin – This paper examines the implications of lifting the 5-year bar on eligibility for certain pregnant immigrants, which has the effect of moving these women from BadgerCare Plus Prenatal to full BadgerCare Plus coverage. It also briefly examines how the new federal CHIP law may enable the state to increase the federal share of the costs it is already incurring for births by immigrants, and how that law can ensure that all immigrant women have access to postpartum services (October 26, 2009).
Summary of Health Care Highlights of the 2009-11 Budget – This short paper provides a synopsis of the major provisions relating to health care in the 2009-11 budget bill (October 22, 2009).
Wisconsin Moves Ahead With Medical Homes Initiative – The last issue of a quarterly report on health care issues in Wisconsin published by HealthLeaders-InterStudy had an excellent article by Ric Gross about recent developments in our state relating to the concept of patient-centered medical homes. They were kind enough to allow us to post the article on our website and make it publicly available (October 2009).
Health Care Highlights of the 2009-11 Budget – This paper provides an overview of the major provisions relating to health care in the 2009-11 budget bill and looks ahead to the challenges the state will face in 2011-13 (September 8, 2009).
Health Insurance Coverage of Childless Adults Scheduled to Begin in July – Wisconsin starts taking applications on June 15 for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan – a basic health insurance plan for low-income childless adults. Coverage begins after July 15. This paper summarizes the plan, examines the gap in coverage it fills, and explains why the state is proceeding with the long-awaited coverage, despite the recession (June 4, 2009).
BadgerCare Plus: Coverage of Childless Adults – The budget repair bill signed into law on February 19, 2009, contains funding to allow the state to proceed with plans to offer basic health insurance coverage for low-income adults without dependent children, beginning on July 1, 2009. We have updated this short paper, which describes the need for coverage of childless adults, provides a short summary of the new coverage, and contains links to other resources (March 3, 2009).
“Wisconsin Priorities Regarding Congressional Reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).” This policy brief summarizes the most important issues for Wisconsin in the Congressional debate this year over SCHIP (January 9, 2009).
Expanding Access to Health Care in Wisconsin: An Outline of the New BadgerCare Plus Law – This document outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the BadgerCare Plus initiative, explains how it increases eligibility, summarizes how it improves enrollment of children and parents who were already eligible, describes the financing and other program elements, and reviews the ongoing work and challenges that lie ahead (Feb. 12, 2008).
"Unintended Consequences: The Effects of Medicaid Documentation Requirements in Wisconsin (Updated Summary - January 28, 2008)." This short paper summarizes and updates the data in our October 2007 analysis of the effects of federal documentation requirements for Medicaid on program participation in Wisconsin.
“Clearing up the Confusion Surrounding CMS Approval of BadgerCare Plus” -- This paper examines federal policy changes restricting the use of CHIP and Medicaid funds and their effect on the BadgerCare Plus initiative (January 10, 2008).
"Is providing health insurance for more kids fiscally responsible?" -- A short “by the numbers” fact sheet on the costs and benefits of expanding access to health insurance for children (Updated January 2008).
"Providing Health Coverage for All Kids in Wisconsin: The New BadgerCare Plus Law" -- This brief paper provides a 2-page summary of the new BadgerCare Plus law and also includes a diagram showing the new categories of coverage.
"In Their Own Words: Wisconsin Health Care Story Series." WCCF has collected the stories of Wisconsin residents who do not have health insurance. These stories highlight the importance of continuing to work toward the goal of making health care coverage available to everyone in the state (September 20, 2007).
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"The Badger Care Plus Plan: Who Would Be Affected?" This brief summary includes a matrix showing the new groups who could get health care coverage from the proposed BadgerCare Plus plan in the biennial budget bill, and the number of people in each of those categories who might benefit (March 16, 2007).
2007 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (February 2007)
Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at various percentages of FPL. (February 2007)
"The Dramatic Effects of Federal Documentation Requirements on Participation of Citizens in Wisconsin's Health Care Programs" (January 31, 2007).
"Health Coverage for All Kids in Wisconsin: An Overview of BadgerCare Plus" (January 12, 2007)
"WCCF Comments on Interim Federal Rules for Citizenship and Identity Documentation" (August 10, 2006).
Charity Eleson's letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
“BadgerCare Plus (or Minus?)”. This article from the June/July 2006 issue of the WisKids Journal summarizes the BadgerCare Plus proposal that is being developed by the Doyle Administration and explores how a very promising idea could potentially change for the worse and might ultimately become a "minus" for the health care safety net in Wisconsin.
"Comparing the Health Care Systems in Wisconsin and Colorado"
(April 13, 2004).
This paper examines the potential implications of TABOR for health care services in Wisconsin.
Implications of the Medicaid Deficit for Wisconsin Families (February 24, 2004)
The Economic Impact of Reducing Medicaid and BadgerCare Expenditures (February 11, 2003)
Badger Care Coming Of Age: Promise And Reality (August 1, 2000)
BadgerCare Q & A (January 27, 1999, updated November 9, 1999)
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TESTIMONY
Opposition to Senate Bill 8, conforming Wisconsin’s Family Medical Leave Law to the Federal Family Medical Leave Law. Executive Director Ken Taylor to Members of the Senate Labor, Public Safety and Urban Affairs Committee(January 24, 2011).
PRESENTATIONS
None at this time.
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