AB 854

This bill makes changes to the family income eligibility level for BadgerCare

and requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to take certain steps to

qualify for federal medical assistance funds. This bill also makes a number of

changes to the law governing the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, the Racine

Parental Choice Program, and the statewide parental choice program (parental

choice programs). The changes are to take effect in the 2016-17 school year.

Medicaid expansion

The bill changes the family income eligibility level to up to 133 percent of the

federal poverty line for parents and caretaker relatives under BadgerCare Plus

(BC+) and for childless adults under BC+ Core. Currently, DHS administers the

Medical Assistance (MA) program, which is a joint federal and state program that

provides health services to individuals who have limited financial resources. Some

MA services are provided through programs that operate under a waiver of federal

Medicaid laws, including services provided through the BadgerCare Plus (BC+) and

BadgerCare Plus Core (BC+ Core) programs. The federal Patient Protection and

Affordable Care Act allows a state to receive an enhanced federal medical assistance

percentage (FMAP) payment for providing benefits to certain individuals through a

state's MA program. The bill requires DHS to comply with all federal requirements

and to request any amendment to the state MA plan, waiver of Medicaid law, or other

federal approval necessary to qualify for the highest available enhanced FMAP for

parents and caretaker relatives and childless adults eligible for BC+ Core.

Family income for pupil eligibility

Current law permits a pupil to attend a participating private school under the

Racine Parental Choice Program or the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program if the

pupil resides in the Racine Unified School District (RUSD) or the Milwaukee Public

School District (MPS), respectively, and the family income of the pupil does not

exceed three times the federal poverty level. Current law also permits a pupil who

resides in a school district other than RUSD or MPS to attend a participating private

school if the family income of the pupil does not exceed 1.85 times the federal poverty

level. Under each parental choice program, if the family income of a pupil who is

attending a private school under the program increases, the pupil may continue to

attend a private school under the program.

Under this bill, beginning in the 2016-17 school year, no pupil whose family

income exceeds 1.85 times the federal poverty level may attend a participating

private school under any of the parental choice programs. The bill makes no changes

to the provisions governing a pupil who is attending a private school under the

program and whose family income increases.

Per pupil payments

Under current law, beginning in the 2015-16 school year, the maximum per

pupil payment in any given school year is equal to the maximum per pupil payment