AMERICANS WORKERS HAVE LOST
THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO
THE PANDEMIC AND THAT'S JUST
BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF
FEBRUARY AND MAY, ACCORDING TO A
SURVEY BY THE NONPARTISAN HEALTH
GROUP FAMILIES USA.
THOSE NUMBERS CAN BE ADDED TO
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE
NOT INSURED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF
COVID FOR THE UNINSURED?
WE ASKED BOBBY PETERSON,
DIRECTOR FOR ABC FOR HEALTH.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M GLAD TO HELP.
>> SOT NUMBER SO THE NUMBER WE REFERENCED
WAS A NATIONAL NUMBER, BUT
WISCONSINITES HAVE LOST
COVERAGE.
DO YOU KNOW IN WHAT NUMBER?
>> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE PRECISE
NUMBERS ON IT, BUT WE KNOW THAT
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS WELL OVER
10% AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN DISLOCATED FROM WORK,
WHICH IS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE
GET THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO IT CREATES A CHAIN REACTION.
SOME PEOPLE CONTINUED WITH THEIR
BENEFITS FOR A MONTH OR TWO, BUT
MORE AND MORE ARE STARTING TO
LOSE COVERAGE AND LOOKING FOR
OPTIONS.
>> I THINK JUST IN THE LAST DAY
OR SO, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
TICKED DOWN WITH KIND OF THE
LATEST JOB NUMBERS IN WISCONSIN
TO ABOUT 8.5%.
STILL BAD.
AND OF COURSE THERE ARE LAGS AND
THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KINDS
OF STORIES THAT YOU'RE HEARING
FROM PEOPLE?
>> WE'RE GETTING CALLS FROM
PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO PIVOT
FROM THEIR PRIVATE INSURANCE,
BECAUSE THEY LOST IT THROUGH
THEIR JOB, TO MARKETPLACE
COVERAGE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT ARE
TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE
ELIGIBILITY PROCESS FOR
BADGERCARE PLUS, PEOPLE THAT MAY
HAVE HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT ARE
STRUGGLING TO IDENTIFY COVERAGE
THAT MIGHT BE THROUGH THE
MARKETPLACE OR THROUGH A
MEDICAID DISABILITY PROGRAM.
IT CROSSES THE SPECTRUM.
WE'RE NOTICING, THOUGH, THAT
PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING ANXIETY
BECAUSE OF HEALTH COVERAGE AND
INSURANCE RELATED TO THE
PANDEMIC.
>> SO FOLKS LOSE AN
EMPLOYER-BASED PLAN.
THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR
COVID.
BUT THAT KIND THING IS VERY
EXPENSIVE, CORRECT?
>> YEAH.
THAT'S GOING TO BE CARRYING THE
FULL BRUNT OF THE PREMIUM AND A
LOT OF TIMES IT'S VERY
UNAFFORDABLE, ESPECIALLY WITH
FAMILY TYPE COVERAGE.
IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE.
IT CAN BE OVER $1,000 A MONTH
FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO IT GETS BEYOND THE BUDGET.
>> AND YET FOLKS CAN SIGN UP
BECAUSE OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE OF
LOSING A JOB FOR THE MARKETPLACE
UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE
FINDING THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE
SAYING THEY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD
THOSE PREMIUMS.
AREN'T THEY BASED ON PEOPLE'S
INCOME?
AND SHOULDN'T THEY BE
AFFORDABLE?
>> THEY SHOULD BE AFFORDABLE,
BUT IT'S A SITUATION WHERE
PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE
FAMILY MEMBERS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE WORKING.
SOME PEOPLE AREN'T WORKING.
THE PRIMARY HEALTH INSURANCE IS
LOST.
THERE'S STILL INCOME THAT MIGHT
PUT THEM OVER SOME OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TAX CREDITS
AND OTHER SUBSIDIES.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A
LOOK AT BADGERCARE PLUS AS AN
OPTION AS A PROGRAM THAT MIGHT
BE AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS LOOKING
AT THE MARKETPLACE.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE
WITHOUT INSURANCE AND YOU GET
INFECTED WITH COVID-19,
REQUIRING HOSPITAL TREATMENT?
DO THE BILLS JUST PILE UP?
>> THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT
ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE
FEDERAL CARES ACT THAT ALLOW
PEOPLE TO GET THEIR TETION AND -- TESTING
AND TREATMENT FOR COVID-RELATED
ILLNESSES COVERED.
SO WE'VE BEEN REFERRING PEOPLE
TO THOSE PEOPLE, WORKING WITH
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO MAKE
SURE THEY IDENTIFY THOSE FOLKS
AND THERE'S ELIGIBILITY FOR SOME
OF THE SERVICES.
>> YOU SAY THAT YOUR WEBSITE
OFFERS A LOT OF RESOURCES AND
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
WHAT IS YOUR WEBSITE?
>> WELL, I WAS REFERRING TO A
WEBSITE THAT WE PARTNERED WITH
THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER'S
OFFICE COVERING WISCONSIN.
IT'S WISCOVERED.COM AND IT
PROVIDES A LOT OF INFORMATION
FOR PEOPLE RELATED TO
MARKETPLACE COVERAGE, BADGERCARE
PLUS AND OTHER OPTIONS AND
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO GET
INSURANCE AND HOW TO KEEP IT.
>> YOU DESCRIBE SEEING A LOT OF
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARISING
FROM THE STRESS, AS YOU
MENTIONED BEFORE, FATIGUE AND
ECONOMIC INSECURITY.
WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE TO PEOPLE
SUFFERING UNDER SO MUCH RIGHT
NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S JUST, YOU
KNOW, -- WE ARE -- WE HEAR THIS
A LOT, BUT WE'RE IN THIS
TOGETHER.
TRY AND WORK ON YOUR SUPPORT
NETWORKS.
IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT CAN PROVIDE
YOU WITH THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU
NEED.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MULTIPLICITY
OF ISSUES.
IT'S MEDICAL DEBT, IT'S LOSS OF
JOB, IT'S HOUSING AND EVICTIONS.
THE STRUCTURES OUT THERE ARE ALL
UNDER STRESS, AS WELL AS THE
INDIVIDUALS.
BUT WE HAVE TO TRY AND DO OUR
BEST TO PULL TOGETHER AS A
COMMUNITY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BOBBY PETERSON, WE JUST LOST
YOUR AUDIO FOR AN INSTANT THERE.
THE VAGARIES OF THIS KIND OF
REMOTE PRODUCTION.
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING
US AND OFFERING US INFORMATION
ON THIS ISSUE AND RESOURCES FOR
PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE
STRUGGLE.
BOBBY PETERSON, THANKS VERY
MUCH.