Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Association of Health Plans today lauded the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) for advancing a budget with important priorities to ensure health care remains accessible and affordable across Wisconsin.
With bipartisan support, the JFC budget includes:
- Full funding for the Medicaid cost-to-continue, including $258 million all funds ($101 million GPR) in each year of the biennium to maintain home- and community-based services (HCBS) fee schedule funding, which helps ensure vulnerable Wisconsinites participating in Family Care, Partnership, and PACE have access to long-term care services. The HCBS fee schedule funding was included in Governor Evers’ budget proposal.
- Increasing the statutory cap for the successful Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Program (WIHSP), the state’s reinsurance program, from $230 million per year to $265 million per year beginning in Plan Year 2025. WIHSP has lowered Wisconsin’s individual health insurance Marketplace premiums by an average of 12.2% per year.
Association CEO John Nygren offered praise for the bipartisan budget bill approved by JFC.
On funding for the HCBS fee schedule:
“The HCBS fee schedule is a vital tool that helps ensure that Wisconsinites who rely on home- and community-based services will continue to have access to the care and support they need. Wisconsin’s MCOs are committed to ensuring that all of their members get the right care, in the right setting, at the right time, so they can continue to live meaningful lives. We applaud the Committee’s decision to fully invest in the HCBS fee schedule, and thank Governor Evers for including this critical funding in his recommended budget, as this investment will provide stability and consistency in care both in the current biennium, and in years to come.”
On funding for the WIHSP:
“The Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Program has a proven record of reducing premiums for those on the individual market here in Wisconsin. The Association is grateful to the Committee for building upon the Governor’s proposed increase for this critical program to help ensure Wisconsin’s individual health insurance market is more affordable for the more than 300,000 Wisconsinites who choose individual Marketplace coverage.”
The budget bill will now go before the Legislature for consideration before being presented to the Governor for his review and signature.
