BadgerCare+ Bulletin is published by HealthWatch Wisconsin, a project of ABC for Health, Inc. Visit us online at www.healthwatchwisconsin.org.
Welcome to the BadgerCare+ Bulletin!
This monthly newsletter tells families, friends and advocates about the importance of health care coverage. Through the articles and tips below, readers will learn more about how to get, use, and keep health care benefits. HealthWatch will send extra alerts if there is breaking news. Share this bulletin with others or tell them to sign up for their own subscription online at HealthWatch Wisconsin!
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In This Issue...
Having a home phone, a cell phone and an Internet connection are all important parts of our lives. We use these tools for our family, our job and for school. They are also very important if you are trying to connect to public health care, like BadgerCare Plus. In this issue of the BadgerCare+ Bulletin, we talk about programs that help connect you to phone and Internet service. We also explain how to use the Internet to apply for health coverage on Wisconsin's ACCESS website.
Lifeline and Link-Up Services
If you get services like BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare, you might also qualify for Wisconsin's phone assistance programs, Lifeline and Link-Up. These programs make phone service easier to afford for people with low incomes. All phone companies that provide home or cell phone service in Wisconsin must offer these two programs to their customers who live in the state.
Lifeline: Offers a discount on monthly charges for basic local telephone service (wireless OR land line phone). The cost is $3-$15 per month. It includes a home phone line, local calls and 911 service.
Link-Up: Offers help paying for part of the cost to connect or turn on new local phone service. Link-Up pays the usual costs of putting in new service, moving from one place to another or reconnecting an existing service.
Eligibility for Lifeline and Link-Up
How To Apply
You may be eligible if you already qualify for one of the following benefits:
WI Homestead Tax Credit (Schedule H)
Wisconsin Works (W2)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Medical Assistance (MA, also known as Medicaid)
BadgerCare Plus
FoodShare
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
-and-
If your total household income is 135% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or lower ($14,621/year for a single individual or $29,768/year for a household of four).
To sign up for these programs, call your local telephone company and tell them you would like to apply for Link-Up or Lifeline services. Major providers include:
If you are not sure who your phone company is or if you are having trouble applying, contact the Public Service Commission at 1-800-225-7729.
Why Telephone Assistance?
Some families have problems getting and paying for health care, and it can be hard to get help. Families without a home phone or access to the Internet often can't connect to health care programs and services. For example, the Department of Health Services in Wisconsin uses an online application at http://access.wisconsin.gov. They believe that it is the easiest way to apply for state health programs like BadgerCare Plus, Wisconsin Shares, and FoodShare. If you do not have access to the Internet, the best way to apply for these programs is to call the Enrollment Services Center at 1-800-291-2002.
Families who qualify for BadgerCare Plus in Wisconsin, W2, Supplemental Security Income, other Medicaid (MA) Programs, Low Income Home Energy programs and FoodShare may also qualify for Lifeline and Link-Up services. Families with a total household income of 135% of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible as well. In fact, about 20% of people who live in Wisconsin are eligible for Lifeline and Link-Up.
More than 10% of people who live in Wisconsin do not have health insurance. Half of those are children. The Internet can help these people and all people find out more about an illness, link to services and find other families going through similar issues. These services are more important than ever, but in 2010, more than 20% of Wisconsin households lacked Internet access. Many families with no phone or Internet service are eligible for Lifeline, Link-Up, SafeLink Wireless, and other programs that make these services easier to afford.
ABC for Health filmed an informational video that explains more about the Lifeline and Link-Up Services. Click here to watch it now!
What should I expect when I call my phone company?
Say: “I would like to apply for Link-Up and/or Lifeline.”
They will ask questions to see if you qualify and send you a paper application in the mail.
Complete and return the application. It will take about 60 days to process and for the discounts to show up on your bill.
Companies offer different discounts, so you should ask:
How much will my monthly bill be?
What are the restrictions on my phone calls?
What services are included with Lifeline?
What if I move?
Be sure that the phone company offers the coverage area that you need. Request a coverage map in the mail.
For the Link-Up program, the company will come and install your line.
Don’t be surprised by a first bill—it will be waived once your eligibility has been verified.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
If your local service provider is unable to provide you with information on how to apply for Lifeline or Link-Up, please call the Public Service Commission at 1-800-225-7729.
Households cannot receive Lifeline discounts on both land line and wireless services. You can receive a Lifeline discounts on only one telephone number per household.
Free Cell Phones!
Free cell phones are available in Wisconsin! The SafeLink Wireless program helps provide cell phones for low-income people. The phones have been called “Obama Phones,” but the government does not fund the program. Each state has different rules on how to qualify for a free phone. In Wisconsin, you must already be getting either BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), MA, SSI, WI Homestead Tax Credit (Schedule H), or Wisconsin Works (W2). You may also qualify if you are not enrolled in any of these programs but have a household income of 135% FPL or less. Once approved for the SafeLink program, you must complete a review each year to show that you are still eligible.
The program includes a free cell phone with free airtime minutes each month for one year. There are three different plans available in Wisconsin, with different options for minutes, international calling, etc. You choose the plan you want when you sign up for the the free phone--but you can change your plan at any time. What if your income changes? If your income goes up, because of a new job or an increase in pay, you must tell the SafeLink program. You can still keep your free phone, but you will have to buy the minutes. You can buy minutes from anywhere that sells TracFone telephone cards, like Walgreens, Target or Wal-Mart.
See frequently asked questions about the program here.
ACCESS.gov: Your Online Link to Important Health and Human Services
The Internet can be useful for finding answers to health care and coverage questions, and more and more people are using it to compare insurance or benefits programs. In fact, ACCESS.wi.gov is a quick, easy and safe way for people in Wisconsin to apply for and manage benefits for programs like BadgerCare Plus and FoodShare. If you have access to the Internet*, you can use ACCESS.
From the different options listed on the homepage, you can click "Am I Eligible?" to go through eligibility screening for health, nutrition and related programs; "Apply for Benefits" to apply; or log in to check or renew your benefits, report any changes, and manage health care. In order to apply for benefits, you must create an account. You can create an account by selecting "Create an Account" on the right-hand side.
You can also learn more by reading the ACCESS handbook, which contains information about all functions and features of ACCESS. It is updated whenever changes are made to the website or to the programs. You can find the most recent version of the handbook here.
Remember, if you're on BadgerCare Plus or FoodShare and your income or residence changes, you'll need to report it. You can do that in ACCESS.
*Don’t have access to the Internet at home? Two companies, NetZero and Juno, provide free Internet access for 10 hours per month and low-cost services for hours after that. There are also prepaid Internet choices. To see if NetZero or Juno are available in your area or if your computer meets the requirements, please call NetZero at 1-800-NetZero (www.netzero.com) or Juno at 1-800-TRY-JUNO (www.juno.com). If they are not available in your area, please contact your local phone company and ask about basic, low-cost service. Important questions to ask when you call about Internet service:
What type of equipment will I need?
What do I need to know to use the Internet?
Can you tell me how often I might lose Internet service?
What type of help is available for me if I have questions?
What other costs should I expect to pay?
Also consider the following options for accessing the Internet outside your home:
Public library
Community/neighborhood center
Senior center
Technical colleges
WiFi at local restaurants, businesses
HealthWatch Posts Public Hearings Online!
HealthWatch Wisconsin (HWW) has posted videos of public testimony about the impact of proposed BadgerCare and Medicaid cuts that will affect 1.2 million people in Wisconsin. In March, HWW sponsored two days of public hearings during the HWW Annual Conference. These hearings drew hundreds of people to listen, learn, and for some, to share their stories and the stories of their loved ones. HWW staff was on hand to record participants' stories. This testimony is being shared with Wisconsin's elected officials.View the video recordings of the testimony here. If you're interested in telling your story, email HealthWatch Wisconsin.
Terms To Know
Federal Poverty Level (FPL): Aminimum income level below which a person is officially considered to be living in poverty. A simple version of the federal povertythresholds used to decide financial eligibility for certain federal and state programs. It is issued each year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The FPL is set using weighted averages of final federal poverty thresholds. It is made available in the Federal Register. To determine your FPL, click here.
Stay tuned to the BadgerCare+ Bulletin for a full list of useful terms to be made available online!
