Changes are coming to Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus programs in Wisconsin. For the past 3+ years, the state has not terminated people from their Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus coverage even if their eligibility changed. The continuous coverage was part of COVID pandemic relief efforts.
Policies are changing in 2023! After a long wait, it is now almost time to resume the process of redetermining each individual’s eligibility for Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus coverage. The process will take just over a year. We explain.
Will you be impacted? Use this page if you:
• Have BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid Now
• Wonder What Action Steps to Take
• Are Working with Patients
We are here to help. HealthWatch Wisconsin is committed to keeping you, families, & health professionals across the state connected to timely information, advocacy strategies, and available resources. Below, we address common questions about chages to Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus and the eventual end of the national COVID Public Health Emergency, with sections that help identify options if you:
Changes are coming to Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus programs in Wisconsin. For the past 3+ years, the state has not terminated people from their Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus coverage even if their eligibility changed. The continuous coverage was part of COVID pandemic relief efforts.
Policies are changing in 2023. After a long wait, it is now time to resume the process of redetermining each individual’s eligibility for Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus coverage. The process will take just over a year.
What is “Medicaid Unwinding?” Medicaid unwinding in Wisconsin is the process of re-evaluating each individual’s eligibility for Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus after 3+ years of continuous coverage. Congress set a start date of April 1, 2023 for this process to begin. In Wisconsin, the timeline is as follows:
Mid-March into Mid- April 2023: Most people enrolled in Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus will receive a notice from the state that gives them a new date to renew or reapply for coverage, as well as instructions on next steps.
April 1, 2023: People applying to Medicaid for the first time will apply into the “normal” rules, where they can be terminated if they no longer meet eligibility rules. Note: Nobody will lose their coverage on April 1, 2023!
June 30, 2023: The earliest a Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus renewal is due
November 16, 2023: The best deadline to return a November renewal
December 18, 2023: The best deadline to return a December renewal
Key Reminders:
This process effects an estimated 1.65 million people in Wisconsin. More people are currently on Medicaid in Wisconsin than ever before.
Nobody will lose coverage on April 1, 2023. Wisconsin will begin its process with a series of notifications and letters. People will get notices in batches so everyone isn’t renewing all at once. Wisconsin will take everyone who needs to renew and divide them into groups, spread out into mid-2024
Some people will need to re-apply for coverage, while most will be asked to renew. Some members will lose coverage because they are no longer eligible.
Move with urgency, not panic. Action steps are time sensitive:
Step 1: Make sure your contact information is current. Individuals can call their local human service office to update their contact information, or make changes on the Access website, or smart phone app. You can contact your local Income Maintenance/Tribal Agency. You can also create an account online at Access.Wi.Gov or Download the MyAccess App from the Google play or Apple store.
Step 2: Watch the mail. Watch for a letter/notice from the Department of Health Services about your Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus coverage. The letter will include a renewal or redetermination date with instructions on next steps.
Step 3: Say it Forward! Help family, friends, neighbors know a change is coming! Some people will renew Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus others may need to look for private insurance through a job or the Marketplace at HealthCare.Gov.
How You Can Help:
Stay informed!
Help identify families who need assistance
Know where the helpers are
Encourage people to follow the action steps: Update their address & watch the mail
Encourage urgency but not panic
Don’t make eligibility assumptions.
The rules and policies around health coverage and community programs is changing very rapidly. There is a lot of information to review and understand to see how it impacts you or your patients. HealthWatch Wisconsin is committed to staying current with federal, state, and local health policy and coverage conversations and makes that information available to you free of charge in our growing video playlist.
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HealthWatch Wisconsin, Inc, a subsidiary of ABC for Health, promotes improved access to health care coverage and services. HealthWatch will continue to track and inform policy developments in a changing landscape of public and private insurance coverage options for the people of Wisconsin.
