Final Push to Include Medicaid Expansion in State Budget

We're designating May as "Medicaid Expansion Month" and need your help.

Earlier this year, Governor Walker chose not to fully embrace the expansion of Medicaid services in his 2013-2015 state budget.  

This is disappointing because the inclusion of  Medicaid expansion would provide health care coverage to over 176,000 uninsured Wisconsinites, about 40,000 of whom are people between the ages of 50 and 64 who have no children in their households. Many of these low-income adults have no other insurance options due to job loss, preexisting conditions, the expense of COBRA, or lack of employer sponsored insurance. 

Not only would accepting the expansion of Medicaid provide coverage to currently uninsured, low-income adults, but it would also free up state tax dollars to be spent on other worthy programs. The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau has estimated that Medicaid expansion would reduce state expenditures by nearly $44 million over the upcoming biennium, while bringing in as much as $785 million in additional federal funding into the state over the same period.

AARP believes this cost-effective extension of health care coverage is the right thing for Wisconsin.  Just because the Governor failed to include it in his proposed budget, the fight is not over. Members of the Joint Finance Committee are now preparing their own version of the budget and we're hoping to convince them to accept the federal funds and include Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin's 2013-2015 state budget.

Dozens upon dozens of red shirted AARP Wisconsin volunteers have already attended and testified on this issue at state budget hearings and town hall meetings. Our presence is making a difference but we need your help!

We're asking AARP members statewide to call 1 -800-844-2847  and tell your legislators: Don’t turn your back on hardworking Wisconsinites. Accept federal funds and include Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin’s state budget!

Even if your legislators are not members Joint Finance Committee, tell them to urge their colleagues to do the right thing.

We only have about a month before the budget works its way out of the Joint Finance Committee and onto the floor of the legislature,  so the time to act is NOW! Please do your part and encourage your friends and neighbors to the do same. Call  1-800-844-2847 today!

You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter to help keep the drumbeat going!