Coverage under BadgerCare Plus for former employees of Allied Systems, Ltd

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

BadgerCare Plus (BC+) is a Medical Assistance (MA) program, administered by the Department of Health Services, that provides health care benefits under two different plans, depending on the basis for a recipient's eligibility, to recipients who satisfy financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria. The first plan provides the same benefits that are provided under regular MA. The second plan, called the Benchmark Plan, provides specified benefits, including, but not limited to, coverage for prescription drugs; physicians' services; inpatient and outpatient hospital services; home health services; physical, occupational, and speech therapy;

treatment for nervous and mental disorders and alcoholism and other drug abuse problems; durable medical equipment; and transportation to obtain emergency medical care. Individuals eligible for BC+ benefits under the Benchmark Plan include, among others, a pregnant woman whose family income exceeds 200 percent, but does not exceed 300 percent, of poverty; any child whose family income exceeds 200 percent, but does not exceed 300 percent, of poverty; and an individual whose family income does not exceed 200 percent of poverty and who is the parent or caretaker relative of a child who is, generally, living in the home of the parent or caretaker relative. In addition, some individuals may purchase coverage under the Benchmark Plan at the full per member per month cost of the coverage. These individuals include: 1) any child whose family income exceeds 300 percent of poverty and 2) any individual (who may purchase coverage for his or her spouse and dependent children, also) who is under age 65, who lost his or her employer-sponsored health care coverage as a result of his or her former employer's bankruptcy, and who, after losing his or her employer-sponsored health care coverage, received health care coverage through a voluntary employment benefit association established before August 2006. This bill makes another group of individuals eligible to purchase coverage for himself or herself and his or her spouse and dependent children under the Benchmark Plan at the full per member per month cost of the coverage. The individual must be under age 65; must be an employee or a former employee of Allied Systems, Ltd., (Allied) in Janesville; must have been receiving health care coverage through Allied immediately before July 1, 2010; will lose that coverage on July 1, 2010, due to the closing of Allied; and is not eligible for any other employer-sponsored health care coverage.

Who's behind it

Mike Sheridan, a Democrat, is its author⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DHS