Photo Credit: Wikipedia
A map of the states that have taken the Medicaid expansion.
Wisconsin has a history of doing the right thing, usually. We were the first state in the nation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, for example. In more recent history, we kind of step in it sometimes, such as the Constitutional ban on marriage equality back in 2006. Thankfully, around that same time we enacted Domestic Partnership benefits here, because everyone always grew up imaging the day they would “domestic partner” the person they loved. But it was still progress. Of course, as we all know, that came tumbling down when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide. The time has come again for the state of Wisconsin to join the right side of history. Wisconsin needs to accept the Medicaid Expansion.
Currently, we are among 15 states that have not adopted the Medicaid expansion and the only state along I-94 that has not accepted the expansion money. I-94 runs from Detroit to Seattle, so if you get sick make sure you’ve made it to the Twin Cities or Chicago. That’s the way the residents of Texarkana, Texas, handle it because Texas is among the other states that hasn’t accepted the expansion. These states have all made unwise decisions to leave their residents to the mercy of emergency room health care coverage rather than preventative health care services that, time and again, have proven more effective and efficient for the patient and the pocketbook. Catching cancer at stage 1 is way cheaper and less deadly than at stage 3.
But this would cost money, you say. Well, yes, it would cost more money: Money you’ve already paid because the federal government will put in for 90% of all cost. The state will only be responsible for an additional 10% of the cost. The alternative is to leave it like it is and pay more in hospital bills because people are going to emergency rooms for routine checkups and can’t afford to pay the massive emergency bills, which in turn get dropped onto everyone. The expansion of Medicaid would cover up to 133% of the poverty line. So, if you, as a single person, make less than $29,000 a year and Wisconsin expanded Medicaid, you would be completely covered by federal health insurance. Congratulations!
The expansion of Medicaid would also allow for the expansion of PrEP—which is medication that keeps HIV-negative people from becoming infected with HIV, particularly in use in the LGBTQ community. The updated 2017 Annual Report from the Black AIDS Institute cited that, without Medicaid expansion, “paying for PrEP can pose barriers for many.” The states that haven’t expanded Medicaid have higher insurance rates, poorer health outcomes and growing HIV rates. Thankfully, Gilead Sciences, a leading biotech research company, can provide access to PrEP without cost if a single person makes under 500% of the federal poverty line. Which means if you make less than $60,000 a year you can get access to PrEP for free. They even provide a co-pay plan to cover up to $3,600 a year for PrEP. But, if states like Texas, Florida and Wisconsin expand Medicaid, that money from Gilead could be spent on lowering drug cost and furthering medical research, rather than being a band-aid on the gaping wound of American health care.
So, what can we do to make sure that we get Medicaid expanded in Wisconsin? One thing is to support the Evers administration in his battle to expand Medicaid. Another is to vote for people who will protect pre-existing conditions by supporting legislation to make Medicaid expansion happen here in Wisconsin. Also, next time we go to the ballot box, make sure we defeat anti-Medicaid expansion legislators who would block health care from the people of Wisconsin. Call, write, tweet, pull up on all of the above and let our legislators know we want Medicaid expansion—otherwise, we want your jobs! Be not discouraged. Health care is a right and not a privilege. There are people in politics who know this, who want to expand it. Don’t leave the field. Stay in the game and fight like your health depends on it. It does.
