State Senator Jim Holperin (D-Eagle River) says the state Department of Health Services is adamant about timely payments for BadgerCare Plus Basic. So much that late payments lead to loss of health care coverage.
“It’s a solid policy that if you’re late on your BadgerCare Plus Basic premium payment you’re off the program and you can’t reenroll.”
Holperin learned of the policy when he was asked for help from those kicked out of the program. He was unable to help constituents who claimed to have paid only a couple of days late.
BadgerCare Plus Basic was founded under the Doyle administration. DHS Spokeswoman Beth Kaplan says the program is completely funded by low cost premiums, rather than tax dollars, which is why those who paid late were disenrolled.
“The program stopped taking new members in March because expenditures had outpaced premium revenue by nearly $2 million, and the Department is continuing to look at its sustainability at this time,” Kaplan says in a statement.
