GETTING BACK TO NORMAL WITH THE
FLOOD OF COVID VACCINE RUSHING
INTO STATES, MANY PEOPLE STILL
LOOK TO GETTING BACK TO EVEN
AFTER JOB LOSS OR REDUCTION AND
WITH BILLS PILING UP.
ONE MAJOR WORRY FOR EVERYONE IS
THE COST AND COVERAGE OF HEALTH
CARE.
THERE ARE SOME BIG CHANGES THAT
ARE PART OF THE FEDERAL STIMULUS
PACKAGE WHICH OUR NEXT GUEST
CALLS HISTORIC AND SIGNIFICANT.
BOBBY PETERSON IS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ABC FOR HEALTH, A
NONPROFIT PUBLIC INTEREST LAW
FIRM FOCUSED ON HEALTH CARE
ACCESS.
THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE
AGAIN.
>> YOU'RE WELL WELCOME.
GLAD TO HELP.
>> SO IS WHAT'S IN THE AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN HISTORIC WHEN IT
COMES TO HEALTH CARE AND
SPECIFICALLY THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THERE WERE NO CHANGES MADE WHEN
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS
PASSED TEN YEARS AGO AND THERE
WAS A LOT OF CALL FOR
ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES AND
HELPING TO IMPROVE IT, BUT
NOTHING EVER MADE IT THROUGH.
IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE WAS
OCCURRING, WHERE PEOPLE WERE
TRYING TO REPEAL IT.
>> RIGHT.
>> THIS IS A GIANT STEP FORWARD.
IT PROVIDES A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL
COVERAGE FOR PEOPLE, SUPPORT FOR
PEOPLE, PREMIUM PAYMENT SUPPORT,
TAX SUBSIDIES.
IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL.
>> SO THE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD
FOR MARKETPLACE PLAN RUNS
THROUGH MAY 15.
WHAT CAN PEOPLE LOOKING TO SIGN
UP FOR COVERAGE EXPECT UNDER THE
NEW PROVISIONS?
>> WELL, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE
COVERAGE, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES
TO GO IN AFTER APRIL 1.
THE MARKETPLACE IS SUPPOSED TO
HAVE THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE.
SO YOU CAN IDENTIFY SOME OF THE
CREDITS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO
YOU.
YOU CAN SWITCH INSURANCE STILL
IF YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT'S
MORE AFFORDABLE.
FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE BELOW 150%
OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LIMIT,
COST SHARINGS ARE GOING TO GO
AWAY AT THAT POINT.
AND FOR A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE
THAT HAD A FEDERAL POVERTY LIMIT
ABOVE 400% WHERE YOU KIND OF HIT
A CLIFF, WHERE SUDDENLY THERE
WAS NO ADVANCE PREMIUM TAX
CREDITS AVAILABLE, SOME OF THOSE
PEOPLE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR SUBSIDIZED CARE.
>> 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY
LIMIT IS SOMETHING LIKE $19,000.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IF THAT'S
THE KIND OF INCOME YOU'RE AT,
YOU COULD GET, UNDER THESE NEW
PROVISIONS, A MARKETPLACE PLAN
UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
FOR DISEEFER ZERO PREMIUMS?
>> CORRECT.
THAT'S FOR A FAMILY OF ONE.
>> RIGHT GLMENT SO ITMENT
>> RIGHT
>> IT WILL CHANGE BASED UPON
YOUR FAMILY SIZEMENT IT'S AN
IMPORTANT CHANGE AND OPPORTUNITY
FOR PEOPLE TO GET BOTH
SUBSIDIZED COVERAGE AND TO
MAINTAIN CONTINUITY.
>> AGAIN, IF YOU'RE ALREADY
ENROLLED IN ONE OF THOSE PLANS,
IS IT AUTOMATIC THAT THESE KIND
OF NEW MONIES ACCRUE TO YOUR
PREMIUMS OR DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE
SOME CHANGES?
>> WELL, I MEAN, WE WOULD ADVISE
YOU TO GO IN AND TO MAKE SOME OF
THE ADJUSTMENTS AFTER APRIL 1.
I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T DO
ANYTHING, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO
RECONCILE IT ON YOUR TAXES NEXT
YEAR.
BUT IT'S A GOOD IDEA IF YOU WANT
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF
THESE OPPORTUNITIES EARLY TO GO
INTO THE MARKETPLACE AND MAKE
THOSE CHANGES IF YOU NEED TO.
>> OKAY.
THE FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY ALSO
IN SENT
INCENTIVIZES STATES TO ENHANCE
MEDICAID.
OUR REPUBLICAN SPEAKER SAYING HE
IS OPPOSED TO THAT EXPANSION.
BUT WHAT WOULD BE IN IT FOR
WISCONSIN TO EXPAND?
>> $1.6 BILLION.
$1.6 BILLION.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF
CHANGE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
MEDICAID PROGRAM, RESOURCES
COMING INTO THE STATE, WHAT A
GREAT WAY TO HIT MONEY ACROSS
THE STATE.
BECAUSE EVERY COUNTY IN THE
STATE HAS PEOPLE THAT ARE
GETTING BADGERCARE PLUS
MEDICAID.
DOCTORS, PHYSICIANS, FEDERALLY
QUALIFIED HEALTH PROVIDERS WILL
PROVIDE A BIG SHOT IN THE ARM
FOR THE PATIENTS THAT NEED IT
AND FOR HEALTH CARE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS STATE.
IT ALSO FREES UP A LOT OF STATE
GPR FUNDS TO REBUILD OUR PUBLIC
BUILD SYSTEM, WHICH WE NEED TO
DO.
THIS PANDEMIC HAS CAUGHT US THAT
WE WERE CAUGHT VERY FLAT-FOOTED.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE PREPARED AND READY.
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T -- YOU KNOW,
THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN AT
SOME POINT, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO I THINK USING SOME OF
THESE RESOURCES TO REBUILD
PUBLIC HEALTH, TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN
WE WERE WHEN THE FIRST PANDEMIC
HIT.
>> ONE REASON REPUBLICAN
POLICYMAKERS HAVE BEEN RESISTANT
TO EXPANDING MEDICAID IS THAT
THEY WORRY THAT THE PROGRAM WILL
BE EXPANDED AND THEN THE FEDERAL
MONEY WON'T BE RENEWED.
WE KNOW SOME OF THESE OTHER
ENHANCEMENTS LAST FOR TWO YEARS.
WHAT ABOUT THE CONCERNS AROUND
THAT?
>> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THAT IN A CRISIS SITUATION LIKE
THIS YOU WANT TO TRY AND
MAXIMIZE FEDERAL MONEY.
I MEAN, TOMMY THOMPSON USED TO
SAY IF FEDERAL MONEY IS
AVAILABLE, YOU SHOULD TAKE IT.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO
ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE
WE GET THE CARE AND COVERAGE TO
THE PEOPLE WHO NEED T. AND I
THINK A VERY IMPORTANT -- PEOPLE
TALK ABOUT NO COVERAGE GAPS,
WHICH IS ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS
THAT IS MADE.
COVERAGE GAPS ARE SMALLER IN
WISCONSIN, BUT IT'S LIKE TRYING
TO WORK THROUGH A MAZE, TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT THE 30 PLUS
FEATURES OF MEDICAID THAT YOU'RE
ELIGIBLE FOR, ALL THE DIFFERENT
FEATURES OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT.
IT'S HARD FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON
TO FIGURE IT OUT.
WE COULD SIMPLIFY IT.
BADGERCARE PLUS SEPARATES
PARENTS FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
THE PARENTS ARE DIRECTED TO THE
MARKETPLACE.
KIDS ARE BADGERCARE PLUS.
THAT'S AN EXTRA STEP THAT WE
DON'T NEED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
THERE'S A LOT MORE DISCUSSION
AROUND THAT ISSUE FOR SURE.
BOBBY PETERSON, THANKS VERY