February 4 is the third anniversary of bipartisan legislation that strengthened the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the federal program that, in tandem with Medicaid, makes BadgerCare possible in Wisconsin. This anniversary provides a great opportunity to reflect on our progress in making sure kids have access to health care, and focus on what it will take to finish the job of extending health coverage to all children in the state.
In the three years since the reauthorization of CHIP, the nation has made dramatic gains in covering children. Thanks to BadgerCare and Medicaid, 469,000 Wisconsin children can get the preventive care they need to stay healthy, and see a doctor when they get sick or injured. Big improvements in streamlining the process of obtaining coverage have been made nationwide. In the past year alone, 25 states have reduced the amount of red tape in their CHIP and Medicaid programs. Here in Wisconsin, 75,000 children have gained coverage in the past three years-- progress worth celebrating even as we recognize that there is more work to be done.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Feds Issue 2012 Poverty Level
Three Percent Increase May Help Some Families Qualify for Benefits
Late last week the federal government released the 2012 Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, better known as the "federal poverty level" (FPL). Wisconsin uses the guidelines to determine eligibility for a number of public assistance programs, such as BadgerCare and child care subsidies (Wisconsin Shares). See the new guidelines on the WCCF website: Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at Various Percentages of the Poverty Level.
The new guidelines are about 3 percent higher than the ones used in 2011, which had grown only 0.6 percent in the previous two years combined (relative to the 2009 level). In the short run, the increase in the poverty level may make additional families eligible for public benefits, such as BadgerCare, or may decrease their cost-sharing. Of course, over the longer haul such gains usually evaporate – if or when families enjoy wage increases that track the cost of living.
Late last week the federal government released the 2012 Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, better known as the "federal poverty level" (FPL). Wisconsin uses the guidelines to determine eligibility for a number of public assistance programs, such as BadgerCare and child care subsidies (Wisconsin Shares). See the new guidelines on the WCCF website: Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at Various Percentages of the Poverty Level.
The new guidelines are about 3 percent higher than the ones used in 2011, which had grown only 0.6 percent in the previous two years combined (relative to the 2009 level). In the short run, the increase in the poverty level may make additional families eligible for public benefits, such as BadgerCare, or may decrease their cost-sharing. Of course, over the longer haul such gains usually evaporate – if or when families enjoy wage increases that track the cost of living.
The Budget Bill’s Hidden Tax Hike for Struggling Wisconsinites
Low-wage Workers and Seniors Will Pay Millions More in Property Tax
The 2012 poverty level was announced late last week, and the new income level for a family right at the federal poverty level (FPL) is now about 3 percent higher than it was in 2011, which reflects an increase in the cost of living. The change in the poverty level raises the eligibility ceiling for most public benefits, such as BadgerCare, child care subsidies, Wisconsin Works (W-2) and Food Share.
One very important program for low-income households that is not being adjusted to reflect the cost of living is the Homestead Tax Credit. That credit provides targeted property tax relief for nearly 250,000 Wisconsinites with annual incomes of less than $24,680. A new issue brief by the Wisconsin Budget Project examines how the decision in the last budget bill to stop adjusting the credit each year will be very costly for low-income Wisconsin households.
The 2012 poverty level was announced late last week, and the new income level for a family right at the federal poverty level (FPL) is now about 3 percent higher than it was in 2011, which reflects an increase in the cost of living. The change in the poverty level raises the eligibility ceiling for most public benefits, such as BadgerCare, child care subsidies, Wisconsin Works (W-2) and Food Share.
One very important program for low-income households that is not being adjusted to reflect the cost of living is the Homestead Tax Credit. That credit provides targeted property tax relief for nearly 250,000 Wisconsinites with annual incomes of less than $24,680. A new issue brief by the Wisconsin Budget Project examines how the decision in the last budget bill to stop adjusting the credit each year will be very costly for low-income Wisconsin households.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Proposed Bill Would Deny Child Tax Credit to Immigrant Families and Children
As tax time is approaching, and the next round of negotiations regarding the payroll tax cuts are gearing up, a bill to deny the Child Tax Credit for those filing with an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) is also moving in Congress. The bill, titled Refundable Child Tax Credit Eligibility Verification Reform Act, would require a Social Security number to receive a cash refund through the Child Tax Credit. Currently, those filing with an ITIN can also receive the child tax credit. This has been proposed as a way to fund the payroll tax cut.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
New Fiscal Bureau Figures Provide Mixed News on Medicaid Budget
A new memo from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) provides a detailed analysis of the status of Wisconsin’s Medicaid budget. A careful review of the memo reveals that the various cost-saving measures proposed by DHS far surpass the estimated budget gap if they are all approved and yield the savings DHS has projected. However, some of the proposed changes to BadgerCare might not be approved by federal officials, and some of the other Medicaid changes could fall short of the department’s projected cost savings.
On balance, I’d say the memo is mostly good news – when considered relative to the $220 million deficit that DHS estimated a few months ago (when the department argued that deep cuts needed to be made in BadgerCare). The new LFB numbers show that the Medicaid budget could potentially be balanced without making any of the $93 million GPR of pending changes to BadgerCare (beyond the $23 million of cuts that got preliminary approval from federal officials in early December). However, that scenario assumes that: a) the cost of removing the Family Care cap can be fully offset by cost-efficiencies in long-term care, and b) DHS can achieve the $75 million GPR in other Medicaid cuts that the department proposed in late September (see Attachment 1 of the new memo).
On balance, I’d say the memo is mostly good news – when considered relative to the $220 million deficit that DHS estimated a few months ago (when the department argued that deep cuts needed to be made in BadgerCare). The new LFB numbers show that the Medicaid budget could potentially be balanced without making any of the $93 million GPR of pending changes to BadgerCare (beyond the $23 million of cuts that got preliminary approval from federal officials in early December). However, that scenario assumes that: a) the cost of removing the Family Care cap can be fully offset by cost-efficiencies in long-term care, and b) DHS can achieve the $75 million GPR in other Medicaid cuts that the department proposed in late September (see Attachment 1 of the new memo).
Sunday, January 29, 2012
DHS Seeks Comments on Plans to Find $80 Million of Savings in Family Care
The Department of Health Services (DHS) estimates that lifting the cap on Family Care (and IRIS) and allowing the program to expand into additional counties will cost $80 million in state GPR funding in the current biennium. As we noted in a previous blog post, the bill to lift the cap has no appropriation because the intent of DHS and the Governor is to find the savings within those long-term care programs.
The legislation that would remove the cap has been introduced in the Senate as SB 380 and in the Assembly as AB 477. Thus far, neither bill has been scheduled for a public hearing. A message sent Friday by the Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network (DAWN) encourages people, especially those on the Family Care and IRIS waiting lists, to contact their legislators and ask for hearings on the bills.
DHS has now posted on its website information about its proposals for achieving $80 million of savings in long-term care, and it is accepting online comments about those plans. The department categorizes the savings in seven areas, which are listed below with the projected savings and a brief description of each category: (Click on a category for further information)
The legislation that would remove the cap has been introduced in the Senate as SB 380 and in the Assembly as AB 477. Thus far, neither bill has been scheduled for a public hearing. A message sent Friday by the Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network (DAWN) encourages people, especially those on the Family Care and IRIS waiting lists, to contact their legislators and ask for hearings on the bills.
DHS has now posted on its website information about its proposals for achieving $80 million of savings in long-term care, and it is accepting online comments about those plans. The department categorizes the savings in seven areas, which are listed below with the projected savings and a brief description of each category: (Click on a category for further information)
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Health Care Access Recommendations Fare Poorly in Legislative Council
More Discouraging News Regarding Special Committee Recommendations
In a blog post last week, Sara Eskrich noted that the Legislative Council met on January 18 and recommended only 3 of the 11 bill drafts developed by the Special Committee on Infant Mortality. That same day, the Legislative Council also considered four bills developed by the Special Committee on Health Care Access, and only recommended one of the four.
Specifically, the Council recommended draft WLC: 0066/2, which would require several state agencies to jointly develop a workforce survey for health care providers (specifically the Dept. of Regulation and Licensing, now known as the Dept. of Safety and Professional Services, DHS, and DWD).
The Legislative Council did not approve any of the other three drafts that had been recommended by the committee and were reviewed last week:
In a blog post last week, Sara Eskrich noted that the Legislative Council met on January 18 and recommended only 3 of the 11 bill drafts developed by the Special Committee on Infant Mortality. That same day, the Legislative Council also considered four bills developed by the Special Committee on Health Care Access, and only recommended one of the four.
Specifically, the Council recommended draft WLC: 0066/2, which would require several state agencies to jointly develop a workforce survey for health care providers (specifically the Dept. of Regulation and Licensing, now known as the Dept. of Safety and Professional Services, DHS, and DWD).
The Legislative Council did not approve any of the other three drafts that had been recommended by the committee and were reviewed last week:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
