More than 80,000 state children are without health insurance

by MCJ Staff
As the state legislature seeks to break its impasse on the biannual state budget, over 70,000 Wisconsin children are anxiously awaiting word on whether or not one of two health initiatives will reach Governor Jim Doyle’s desk.

One of those initiatives will provide universal health care. The second, which is being proposed by the governor, specifically provides health insurance for all the state’s children.

Those proposals take on even greater significance given new data from the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF), which shows that the number of children in the state lacking health insurance exceeds 80,000, while the number of African Americans living below the poverty level has topped the 40% mark.

The data also shows that the median household income for African Americans actually fell from $26,318 to $26,161 while the median income for Whites rose from $49,244 to $50,794.

That later figure, which was provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, revealed Wisconsin has the eighth largest poverty level in the country.

State legislators have been unable to break its budget impasse. Some political pundits believe there won't be a budget until late October.

Governor Doyle wants to expand BadgerCare, which would be called "BadgerCare Plus" and would offer health care coverage to virtually all of the state’s children, farmers and other self-employed individuals, youth aging out of foster care and low-income childless adults.

"There is broad public support for the idea that all children should have health care coverage, and the investments we make now in health care will yield tremendous returns in the future in healthier children and health care savings for all of us," said Charity Eleson, executive director of WCCF.

In addition, the proposal would simplify the existing system and reduce the bureaucratic red tape currently keeping families from obtaining coverage. Data released by the Census Bureau indicates that fully 12% (26,000) of children living below the poverty level are insured.

In general, approximately 32.5% of Wisconsin’s African American families and 24.3% of Wisconsin’s Hispanic families are living below the poverty level. Both of these rates of poverty have increased from the 2005 figures.

While Doyle is pushing for the expansion of BadgerCare, the Democratically controlled state Senate is championing a universal health care plan, which would cost $15 billion a year. All state businesses would be taxed 15% to 20% to support the plan.

It is quite possible that neither the governor’s or senate’s plan will go anywhere given the Republican state lawmakers determination to hold the line on any new taxes or tax increases. Republicans in the legislature control the Assembly. Both the Senate and the Assembly have proposed budgets for the other rejects, which has led to the impasse.

But unlike other states, Wisconsin law permits state spending to continue at pre-July 1 levels. Given this ability, there is no pressure on either side of the legislative aisle to end the impasse, to compromise on certain contentious points and pass a budget.