WI will provide residents with health exchange information

Although Wisconsin’s Gov. Scott Walker has a history of restricting worker benefits and opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the state is set to send residents information about which insurance plans will be offered in the upcoming exchanges.

According to The Associated Press, Wisconsin officials have already come forward with their plans to send letters to residents who currently receive Medicaid coverage. Gov. Walker denied federal financing to expand the state’s Medicaid program. Rather than improving the program, Gov. Walker decided to reduce Medicaid’s enrollment, causing approximately 92,000 to lose coverage. Because this is such a large cut and the insurance exchange is set to open, The AP reported Wisconsin will provide information about the marketplaces to those affected by the changes. This may cause more residents to chose to enter the exchanges.

Joy Tapper, executive director for the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership, told The AP Wisconsin may follow the lead of Massachusetts, where outreach efforts were most effective when residents received information directly from organizations and the state.

“The best thing is for people to hear from trusted sources,” Tapper said.

Wisconsin Public Radio News suggested many Wisconsin residents, whether they currently have employer-sponsored coverage or not, plan on participating in the marketplaces.