Proposed BadgerCare changes move state backward, not forward

It isn’t clear why, but Wisconsin legislative leaders seem intent on picking a fight with the state’s most vulnerable people. A series of bills is being fast-tracked in the Legislature which would make things more difficult for those enrolled in the Medicaid program. One bill adds significant burdens for those on BadgerCare by forcing them to re-enroll in the program every six months. Each time, the person would have to start from scratch, doubling the paperwork and the chance for errors, even though the state already has the information it would force people to resubmit. Any error on the application could result in the loss of BadgerCare coverage for six months. It makes little sense to double the paperwork, the chance for mistakes and the potential they will lose coverage. Another bill would penalize BadgerCare recipents who are working low-wage jobs by jeopardizing their coverage if they turn down offers of working additional hours. Family caregivers are often juggling their schedules around another person’s care needs, and are doing the best they can. Even if they made more money, there is no guarantee they could afford healthcare coverage. These bills seem punitive, scapegoating those on BadgerCare, moving our state backward instead of forward.