Health
Care
Families or individuals with disabilities, direct care workers, and low-income people have difficulty getting health care because of the lack or high cost of insurance.
- About the issue
- Why does this matter to people with disabilities?
- Are there any proposals that would make a change in this issue?
- Who can I contact with my questions?
- Background Information For This Issue
About the issue: (Top of page)
A lot of people across the nation do not have any health care insurance or have insurance that does not cover their needs. Many people can only get health insurance if they can afford to pay high premiums or deductibles. Without affordable and comprehensive health care insurance, it can be very difficult to get the right care for a disability or chronic condition. Because of the gaps in health care coverage, advocates argue that the system is broken.
Many families and people with disabilities are forced to rely on Medicaid or BadgerCare because private insurance is not available or affordable. People with disabilities who want to work often cannot because they would loose Medicaid coverage. Even with Medicaid coverage, people with disabilities do not always get their health care needs met.
Medicaid does not always pay doctors, dentists, therapists, hospitals, and other providers what it really costs to provide services. Providers can refuse to serve people on Medicaid. This is especially true in the area of dental care, where people often have to travel outside their own cities to find a dentist that accepts Medicaid. Providers that do treat people on Medicaid often charge people with good insurance more to make-up the funding gap and stay in business.
Another concern is the amount of money wasted in the current system. People without health insurance are more likely to use emergency rooms for their primary care. Emergency services are very expensive.
Why does this matter to people with disabilities? (Top of page)
Access to health care services is extremely important to the well-being and quality of life for people with disabilities. If people cannot get the health care services they need, it affects every area of their lives. Lack of comprehensive insurance also limits people’s choices. They cannot work and risk loosing Medicaid, or they can work only for certain employers that can afford to cover their health insurance.
People with disabilities are impacted when their direct service workers cannot get good health insurance coverage. One reason the turnover for direct service workers is high is because many agencies cannot provide affordable, comprehensive health care.
Are there any proposals that would make a change in this issue? (Top of page)
- Assembly Bill 1 - Lawsuit Reform
This is a companion bill to Special Session Senate Bill 1. These bills curb and reform lawsuits. Among other reforms, families of individuals injured in nursing homes, group homes or other facilities would not be able to use investigative or incident repo [More on Assembly Bill 1 ]
Outcome: Passed Committee - Assembly Bill 40 - Biennial Budget Request
The most important bill of the legislative session, the biennial budget bill determines how much funding programs serving people with disabilities will receive for the next two years. The bill also makes important policies and funding decisions in other a [More on Assembly Bill 40 ]
Outcome: Introduced and referred to the Joint Finance Committee. - Assembly Bill 41 - Uniform State Family and Medical Leave Law
This bill prohibits a local government from passing an ordinance more generous than state law. [More on Assembly Bill 41 ]
Outcome: Passed Assembly and Senate. - Assembly Bill 76 - Inmates' Prescription Drugs
Requires county and state jails to charge a prisoner, including people with disabilities or mental illness, a deductible, co-payment or other payments for prescription drugs or devices. The amount of the payment would be established by administrative rule [More on Assembly Bill 76 ]
Outcome: Introduced April 7, 2011 - Senate Bill 8 - Family and Medical Leave Act
There are both federal and state Family and Medical Leave Acts already in law. This bill would make the state law almost the same as the federal law. The current state law helps families and individuals with disabilities more than the federal law. [More on Senate Bill 8 ]
Outcome: Introduced and in committee. - Senate Bill 23 - Uniform State Family and Medical Leave Law
This bill prohibits a local government from passing an ordinance more generous than state law. [More on Senate Bill 23 ]
Outcome: Passed Senate and Assembly. - Senate Bill 27 - Biennial Budget Request
The most important bill of the legislative session, the biennial budget bill determines how much funding programs serving people with disabilities will receive for the next two years. The bill also makes important policies and funding decisions in other a [More on Senate Bill 27 ]
Who can I contact with my questions? (Top of page)
John Shaw
Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities
201 W. Washington Avenue
Madison WI 53703-2796
Phone: Voice (608) 266-7707; TDD (608) 266-6660
Email: John1.Shaw@wisconsin.gov
Fax: (608) 267-3906
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