Wisconsin earns a failing grade for not providing adequate protection for consumers buying individual health insurance coverage.
The report from Families USA graded all 50 states on the protections they have in place for people who have to buy health insurance on their own. Robert Kraig with Citizen Action of Wisconsin says our state was among the worst, with a failing grade in many categories, primarily for its lack of protection for those with pre-existing conditions.
Kraig says that's largely because Wisconsin doesn't prevent insurance companies from digging through our medical history to deny coverage. He says we're just one of eight states that does not limit the time frame companies can look at when determining coverage.
The report criticizes Wisconsin for allowing providers to "cherry pick" the healthiest customers and enabling them to deny coverage if an illness develops later.
Citizen Action is calling on state and federal lawmakers to pass new protections for consumers.
