BadgerCare Public Option Would Slash 2019 Health Insurance Costs |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
News - Articles for State & Local | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Written by Citizen Action of Wisconsin Press | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday, 01 November 2018 13:39 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/high-voltage-lines-farms-s5.jpg STATEWIDE: On a media call Wednesday morning Citizen Action of Wisconsin, with key state lawmakers and the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, released a new analysis which has major implications for the high profile health care debate in the 2018 election. We were joined on the audio news conference by State Senator LaTonya Johnson and State Rep. Chris Taylor, both members of the powerful Joint Finance Committee which writes the state budget. Listen to the entire audio here.
The analysis focused on two questions using 2019 premium and deductible data just released by the federal government: Key Findings for 2019 (for consumers who pay the full premium)
[See full results below]Governor Walker has heavily touted his reinsurance plan which was passed earlier this year, but a Citizen Action analysis of independent research shows it does not make up for the cost of his sabotage of the ACA. The data in this report shows the BadgerCare Public Option would be much more effective than Walker’s policies in making individual market health insurance affordable. The BadgerCare Public Option Bill (Assembly Bill 449/Senate Bill 363), authored by State Rep. Eric Genrich (D-Green Bay) and State Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), would give Wisconsinites the option of purchasing BadgerCare on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. This option would be especially attractive to people who buy coverage on their own without a tax credit, and to small businesses. “These findings document that many hard pressed Wisconsin families are paying a heavy price for Governor Walker’s failed health care policies,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “It is clear that a Governor and a Legislature who constructively use the power of state government could make health coverage significantly more affordable for people across Wisconsin.” "Providing a BadgerCare Public Option would help ensure that the rising cost of healthcare is being addressed," said State Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), a member of the powerful Joint Finance Committee and the Senate author of the BadgerCare Public Option bill. "No matter where Wisconsinites work, where they live, what they make or what pre-existing condition they have this would ensure that BadgerCare could be available as an option to them." “At every opportunity, Governor Walker has sought to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. The lawsuit right now by Governor Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel would get rid of the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions for example", said State Representative Chris Taylor (D-Madison), a member of the powerful Joint Finance Committee. "Why on earth would you not want to save money and cover more people at the same time?" "Everyday our nurses see people who come into the emergency room so much sicker than if high deductibles did not compel them to delay or avoid care," said Candice Owley, RN, President of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals. "These is life and death choices, not just a political choice. The largest reason for bankruptcy is medical debt, and the BadgerCare Public Option could help that by protecting patients when a unexpected medical bill arises." "In 2014, for the first time in years, the health insurance costs for our family business fell below $1,000 month as insurers could no longer price discriminate my husband's preexisting condition," said Sharon Harris, a small business owner from Brookfield. "We are very supportive of the ACA but now, because of the sabotages, we are now paying more for health coverage than our mortgage. It feels like we're living paycheck to paycheck. We strongly believe a BadgerCare Public Option could help our business and family." Figure 1: BadgerCare Public Option Cost, 2019 figures
* - Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimate of a BadgerCare Public Option buy-in. Public Option figures above does not have any deductible, unlike private insurance.
Figure 2: Current 2019 Premiums & Deductibles, 2nd lowest cost silver for 40 year old, by Metro, and Extra Annual Cost Over BadgerCare Public Option of Private Insurance
* - 2nd Lowest silver plan for a 40 year old, 12 months of premiums and deductible, Healthcare.gov ** - based on annual BadgerCare Public Option estimate for premiums & deductibles, Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Oct 2018 *** - weighted average determined by county population estimates Click here for data for all 72 Wisconsin Counties Figure 3: Comparison of Major Metros, Wisconsin vs Minnesota, 2nd lowest cost Silver plan, 40 year old individual, 12 months premiums and deductibles
* - comparison of 2nd lowest cost Silver health plan, premiums and deductibles, for 40 year old vs Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimate of a BadgerCare Public Option buy-in. Private rates gathered from Healthcare.gov ** - Weighted average based on county population in each state, looking at 12 months premiums & annual deductible for 40 year old. MN rates gathered from MNSure.org Figure 4: The Cost of Private Insurance for a Family of Four, premiums and deductibles, over the BadgerCare Public Option; 2019 rates, 2nd lowest cost silver, by Metro.
* - Based on annual premiums and deductibles for a Family of Four by county, with two 40-year old adults and two 10-year old children, gathered from Healthcare.gov. BadgerCare Public Option costs gathered from 2018 Legislative Fiscal Bureau Memo |
|