Contact: Joe Zepecki
[email protected]
202-445-1517
MILWAUKEE – The results of Marquette Law School’s latest public opinion survey demonstrate yet again that when it comes to the number one issue for Wisconsin families – health care – there is broad support for expanding Badgercare.

In January, nearly two thirds of Wisconsinites (62%) expressed support for accepting federal funds to expand Medicaid, also called Badgercare, in order to cover those with incomes up to 138% of the poverty line. Today, support is even higher.

Joe Zepecki, spokesman for Protect Our Care Wisconsin issued the following statement following the release of today’s poll results:

“Opposition to expanding Badgercare is both incredibly unwise and incredibly unpopular. It’s not hard to understand why – becoming the 38th state to embrace this commonsense, fiscally responsible proposal will ensure more Wisconsinites have access to health care, provide needed support for providers, and free up hundreds of millions of dollars for other urgent state priorities.”

Background
According to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, accepting the federal expansion of Medicaid in Wisconsin would enable the state to cover more residents for less money through Badgercare. The 37 states that have already accepted the expansion since passage of the Affordable Care Act have seen positive economic impacts, including increased numbers of providers, reductions to uncompensated care, and reductions in medical debt.

According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study of 29 states that expanded Medicaid, medical debt was reduced by $900 per Medicaid enrollee and prevented 50,000 bankruptcies.

For more information, visit www.dhs.wisconsin.gov

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