Urge Wisconsin Speaker Vos to Support Medicaid Reform and New Mothers 

Medicaid is meant to serve low-income women with children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations who are unable to work. Unfortunately, Medicaid enrollment in Wisconsin exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic by about 40%, and it remains well above pre-pandemic levels today. This creates real costs, not only for taxpayers supporting this bloated program, but also for other legitimate Medicaid recipients struggling to access the timely care that they need. 

Wisconsin should make it a priority to eliminate waste within its state Medicaid program. The state should ensure that the program serves those who truly need the support and serves them well. 

This includes women during the critical year after giving birth to a child. Losing insurance coverage weeks after giving birth creates real hardship at a time when women can least afford it, both financially and mentally, when they are grappling with all the challenges of adjusting to life with an infant in their home.  

Urge Speaker Vos to move forward with the bipartisan legislation (AB97/SB23) and reform Medicaid so it offers ongoing support for new mothers. 

Wisconsin can and should seek to eliminate the misuse of Medicaid by illegal immigrants and able-bodied adults.  But that doesn’t require abandoning new mothers and infants.