Publication Date
2001
Document Type
Article
Abstract
In its effort to be a welfare reform pioneer, Wisconsin has led the nation in adopting one of the most expansive public health insurance programs, "BadgerCare," to address the health care needs of working families in the post-welfare reform era. One year after BadgerCare implementation, Wisconsin is experiencing the fiscal impact of the program due to unexpectedly high enrollment in BadgerCare. While some Wisconsin leaders praise this growth rate for reducing the number of uninsured, others raise a concern that the enrollment figures may be rising due to employees opting for BadgerCare rather than employer-sponsored insurance. Consequently, this "crowd-out" effect may spoil the success of the BadgerCare program.
The crowd-out effect hinges upon the success of the BadgerCare verification process, a process that ultimately decides who is eligible for the program based on an applicant's access to employer-sponsored family health insurance. However, under current labor and health care market conditions, employees and employers may diminish the effectiveness of the verification process. As a result, BadgerCare may be insuring people who would otherwise be insured through their employer.
After a brief description of the BadgerCare program and related concerns, this article explores the BadgerCare verification process, discusses factors that may contribute to the potential failure of employees to comply with the verification process. Finally, this article concludes with suggestions on how to improve the BadgerCare verification process and maintain the program’s viability.
Publication Title
Wisconsin Women's Law Journal
Volume
16
Recommended Citation
Barbara Zabawa,
The "Access" Problem: How Employee and Employer Issues May Increase Badgercare Participation by Impeding the Verification Process,
16
Wisconsin Women's Law Journal
215
(2001).
Available at:
https://irlaw.umkc.edu/faculty_works/994