Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Politics

Pro-life Wisconsin legislators eye Medicaid expansion for new moms

by March 30, 2023
March 30, 2023
Pro-life Wisconsin legislators eye Medicaid expansion for new moms

Low-income Wisconsin mothers could stay on Medicaid longer after giving birth and with less paperwork under a bill that has gained bipartisan support in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Nearly half of the state’s lawmakers have co-sponsored the bill that came before the Senate insurance committee for a hearing on Wednesday. Currently, Wisconsinites can enroll in the state-supported and federally-funded healthcare program if they are pregnant and qualify as low-income, but have to recertify for the program 60 days after giving birth. Under the proposal, they could keep coverage for a year, even if their household income increases.

Democrats have long supported Medicare expansion in Wisconsin and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is likely to support the measure, which is similar Medicaid expansion in his budget proposal last month. In areas of disagreement with Republican lawmakers, Evers has used issued a record number of vetoes.

A similar bill failed to pass the Wisconsin Legislature in 2021, and Republicans rejected Evers’ request in the last budget cycle to establish one year of postpartum Medicaid benefits, opting instead to extend them to 90 days. The state Department of Health Services is still waiting on federal approval for that extension.

But Republican lawmakers across the country are moving to expand access to postpartum health care after the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion last June. They say the efforts are central to conservative anti-abortion platforms, but in many states, including Wisconsin, Republicans have long opposed efforts to expand Medicaid.

‘I am proudly pro-life, and this bill should be part of a pro-life package,’ said Republican Rep. Donna Rozar, the bill’s sponsor in the Assembly. ‘The best way to have healthy babies is to have healthy mothers.’

Roughly 40% of births are eligible for Medicaid coverage, and states are required to offer eligible mothers at least two months of taxpayer funded coverage. Thirty states including the District of Columbia have already expanded coverage to 12 months for new mothers, and 8 states have plans to implement 12-month expansions, according to the non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation, which researches health care issues.

The Wisconsin measure is backed by medical groups including the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Medical Society, as well as anti-abortion groups such as Wisconsin Right to Life and Pro-Life Wisconsin.

Roughly 50 to 60 Wisconsin mothers die each year after childbirth, Dr. Jasmine Zapata, a chief medical officer the health department, told lawmakers Wednesday.

‘That is not something I would wish on anyone else, and when you are in that situation, even one life is too many,’ Zapata said.

Nobody attending the hearing spoke in opposition to the bill.

The proposed expansion would cost the state more than $21 million and extend coverage to nearly 5,300 more mothers, according to health department estimates.

Wisconsin remains one of just 10 states that have not accepted federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility above the federal poverty line, despite pushes from Evers and other Democrats to do so.

If Wisconsin were to accept the federal Medicaid expansion, the costs of expanding coverage for new mothers would drop to around $17 million, according to health department estimates.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
The 23-Month Moving Average “Tell” for 1st Quarter
next post
‘$5 million is too little:’ Activists tell California reparations committee to aim higher

You may also like

Top Republican moves to force Biden energy secretary...

June 14, 2023

‘Rules for thee’: Senate DOGE leader seeks crackdown...

April 14, 2025

Texas GOP Joins Arizona GOP, Calls For Ronna...

December 10, 2022

Biden campaign staffers issue letter protesting Israel-Hamas war,...

January 4, 2024

Surveillance Photos Captured “Non-Binary” Biden Nuclear Energy Secretary...

December 11, 2022

Dems, GOP both won big victories and suffered...

December 25, 2023

Biden pardons late Black activist Marcus Garvey, 4...

January 19, 2025

Trump lawyers say request to have SCOTUS hear...

December 21, 2023

GOP lawmaker rips Biden’s ‘weak’ foreign policy record...

July 17, 2024

James Carville says Biden skipping Super Bowl interview...

February 11, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Trump touts administration’s progress on peace deals, says world leaders ‘respect our country again’

      June 27, 2025
    • Venezuelan opposition member details harrowing 400-day captivity at UN

      June 27, 2025
    • Anxious Republicans turn to Trump amid divisions over ‘big, beautiful bill’

      June 27, 2025
    • JD Vance poised to clinch victory for Trump’s landmark bill as GOP finalizes strategy

      June 27, 2025
    • Trump secures record-shattering $1.4B for political war chest, will be ‘dominant force’ for GOP in midterms

      June 27, 2025
    • Fibonacci Retracements: The Key to Identifying True Breakouts

      June 27, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,329)
    • Investing (2,081)
    • Politics (15,841)
    • Stocks (3,175)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved