A new plan recently launched by Governor Doyle is underway as well. If approved by the lawmakers, it will create for the state of Wisconsin affordable health insurance plans for approximately more than 20,000 adults without children in the low-income group. This program, known as the BadgerCare Core Plus Plan, follows the BadgerCare Plan initiated last year but terminated due to a high demand and budget limitations. More than 60,000 low-income adults without children younger than 19 were able to receive the plan before the lawmakers were forced to suspend it.
However this time the governor is pressing the lawmakers to initiate the program swiftly. Under the new program affordable health insurance is provided worth $130, which covers visit to doctors and hospitals, and some basic drugs. Critics of the plan say that this health insurance package for the low-income group is unnecessary because plans by private insurers are already available. But Governor Doyle argues that critics are merely trying to halt a mega Wisconsin affordable health insurance program by joining the ranks of wealthy profiteering insurance companies.
But, however strenuous the arguments against the plan may be, low income Wisconsin residents without dependent children will enjoy every year up to 10 visits to the doctor, 5 trips to the emergency theatre, together with hospitalization and discount on basic drugs and medications prescribed by doctors. In order to qualify for this insurance coverage, residents must have an income below 200% of federal poverty line, which is around $1800 monthly for singles and around $2500 for couples. An initial grant from the federal government of a million dollars will be injected into the program in the initial phase. But later on as registration for enrollees is completed, the $130 premium charged will keep this insurance program running. It is said that once operational, the program will not require any sort of funding from external sources such as state, loans etc.
But while the program awaits approval, residents of Wisconsin meanwhile can visit the website www.BadgerCarePlus.org for more information and news.