On May 9th, the Joint Committee on Finance met for the first time to vote on the proposed 2019 – 2021 state budget. The Committee voted to remove Medicaid Expansion from the Governor’s Budget. The joint finance committee voted against it 11-4, along party lines. Disability Rights Wisconsin is disappointed by the Joint Finance Committee vote to remove Medicaid expansion from the Governor’s budget proposal. DRW has supported Medicaid expansion. Many people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers, and almost 30% of the homecare workforce are in BadgerCare/ Medicaid. Savings from the proposed Medicaid expansion leverage an estimated $1.6 billion of new federal funding; the budget proposes to reinvest these funds in programs and services critical to people with disabilities and older adults.
DRW statement on Joint Finance Committee Vote on Medicaid Expansion
WisconsinEye video coverage of May 9 Joint Committee on Finance Executive Session