Gov. Evers calls special session on Medicaid expansion

MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday called a special session for the Legislature to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin, promising to use $850 million in federal money that would come to the state to pay for an array of economic development projects across the state.

Turning down Medicaid expansion now will mean Republicans are also rejecting economic development projects in their own legislative districts, Evers said at a free health care clinic in Middleton before signing an executive order calling the special session.

“It’s time, enough politics,” Evers said.

Even with the new approach, Evers was unlikely to find success in the Republican-controlled Legislature where earlier this year Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called expanding Medicaid a “non-starter” and part of a “liberal wish list.” Just two weeks ago, the Republican-controlled budget committee voted to remove expansion from Evers state budget proposal.

And even though Evers called a special session for Tuesday, Republicans don’t have to debate the bill, let alone vote on it.

In the past year, Republicans have gaveled-in and gaveled-out in under a minute on two special sessions called by Evers — one on policing bills and another on updating the state’s unemployment system. Ignoring those sessions came in the midst of 10 months (April 2020-February 2021) of the GOP-controlled state Legislature not passing or even debating in session on any bills, during the worst of the pandemic.

Under the enticement included in the coronavirus relief bill adopted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, the federal government would boost its share of costs in the regular Medicaid program, which offers coverage for the poorest Americans. The bump in federal funding would last two years for the states that join the Medicaid expansion.

The federal COVID-19 relief bill Congress passed in March would provide Wisconsin more than $1 billion in new, temporary savings if Medicaid is expanded. That additional money would be for two years, but is on top of $635 million the state would save over two years due to a higher federal reimbursement through Medicaid expansion.

According to a 2018 report by the state fiscal bureau, Wisconsin would have received an additional $2.8 billion in savings between 2013 and 2019 under full Medicaid expansion.

State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat from West Point, said Wisconsin shouldn’t pass up the $1 billion in federal money.

“If we don’t take it now, I highly doubt that opportunity will ever come again,” Erpenbach said.

Under Evers’ bill, $850 million would go toward a wide array of projects and other needs while $150 million would go into a state savings account.

The projects to be funded include $200 million to pay for broadband expansion; $100 million to help replace lead service lines for private users of public water systems; $100 million for road and other infrastructure improvement; and $50 million for a loan to a cooperative to buy the Verso Paper Mill in Wisconsin Rapids and $15 million for a cooperative to buy the Park Falls Pulp and Paper Mill in Park Falls.

The bill would also authorize $30 million for a genomic sequencing wing at the State Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison; $15 million in grants for community health workers; $5.5 million for emergency medical services in rural areas; $4 million for a western Wisconsin forensic center; and $2 million for a new visitor center for Green Bay.

Thirty-six other states, including some led by Republicans, have already accepted Medicaid expansion. Two more — Missouri and Oklahoma — are scheduled to begin their expansions in July. Wisconsin has done a partial expansion, but not done enough to capture billion of dollars in savings and additional funding from the federal government.

Expanding Medicaid has long been supported by Democrats and health care advocates in Wisconsin, while Republicans have branded it as welfare expansion and said there’s no guarantee that federal aid would continue.

Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Accepting federal money available through the Affordable Care Act would increase the minimum income threshold to qualify from 100% of the federal poverty rate to 138%, which would increase the income eligibility for a single person from $12,880 a year to $17,774.

That would make about 91,000 more people eligible for BadgerCare Plus in Wisconsin.