By Rep. Kevin Petersen
Wisconsin administers a welfare program called Medicaid, which pays for almost all of low-income individuals’ healthcare costs. With the state paying healthcare providers a lower rate for the Medicaid services provided, the costs to provide care is shifted to Wisconsinites who have regular, private insurance through their employer or off of the health insurance exchange.
Over 25% of Wisconsin’s population is currently on Medicaid. In Wisconsin’s 2021-2023 budget, over $6.9 billion was spent on Medical Assistance benefits, accounting for nearly 18% of the state’s general fund budget. According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) there were 258,821 able-bodied childless adults on Medicaid in Wisconsin last year, with expectations that number will increase over 6% to 274,899. Beyond the LFB’s projection, Governor Evers proposed adding an additional 90,000 able-bodied childless adults to Medicaid in the 2023-25 budget.
Listed on the United States government website: “Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, provides health coverage to over 72.5 million Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.” It was not designed as a program for able-bodied childless adults for use as a way to remain unemployed.
Beyond Medicaid, taxpayer funding also goes towards benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), rent assistance, and utility assistance. I hear from constituents on a daily basis about how many unfilled jobs need employees, and how many local establishments have cut the hours they are open. I believe able-bodied childless adults should be required to look for work when they are receiving these benefits.
This Tuesday, April 4th, voters of Wisconsin will be given the opportunity to voice their opinion. In February, the state Legislature voted in favor of putting an advisory referendum on the April 4th ballot that asks voters “shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits?”
I voted yes on the Assembly floor in favor of placing the referendum on the ballot. Now, the business community and hardworking citizens of the 40th Assembly District have the opportunity to voice their opinion on whether able-bodied childless adults receiving welfare should be required to look for work.
