Health care advocates continue push for Medicaid expansion

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Advocates for Medicaid expansion say accepting the federal money as Gov. Tony Evers has proposed would make treatment for opioid addiction more affordable.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin released a report Wednesday documenting cheaper treatment options through the state’s BadgerCare Medicaid program versus private insurance.

Tuesday, an independent report said accepting Medicaid expansion would lower healthcare costs by 7-11 percent.

The report comes a day before the Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget-writing committee was to vote on killing Evers’ Medicaid expansion plan.

Democratic lawmakers and others on Wednesday say Republicans are ignoring the will of the people and passing up on federal money that Evers leverages for $1.6 billion in spending on health care needs in his budget.

Republicans label it as a massive expansion of welfare, given that about 82,000 more poor people are expected to qualify for Medicaid.