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Friday, Mar. 3, 2023

Is Wisconsin the only Midwest state to not accept the federal Medicaid expansion?


no

Both Wisconsin and Kansas have not adopted the federal Medicaid expansion, which expanded Medicaid coverage to those with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Despite not adopting the expansion, Wisconsin allows all uninsured adults who fall below the federal poverty line to be eligible for Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

In his previous budgets and a special session, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has proposed funding an expansion of Medicaid, but it has failed to make it into the final budget under the Republican-controlled Legislature. 

In his 2023-25 budget, Evers has again proposed accepting the expansion. The Evers administration estimates the move would save the state $850 million in its first year and add 897,000 low-income people to its Medicaid program, including 30,000 people who currently do not have insurance.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

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