On June 22 residents from Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Appleton, Green Bay and the surrounding area gathered for The Arc Wisconsin’s Community Conversation about Medicaid and how proposed cuts could impact their communities.
On Thursday the U.S. Senate released their version of a bill to reform the Affordable Care Act, including a 25% cut over 10 years in funding to Medicaid programs. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill by June 29.
Here are facts about how Medicaid funds are used currently in Winnebago and Outagamie Counties:
- Nearly 1,700 people with disabilities and seniors are enrolled in Family Care and IRIS programs which are optional services under Medicaid. (optional services are expected to be at risk under Medicaid cuts)
- Nearly 1,800 children with disabilities receive services in the Oshkosh school district alone and the district bills more than $500,000 in Medicaid annually. (therapies and Medicaid funding to schools are optional under Medicaid)
- Medicaid supports more than 75,000 provider employers statewide (medical care, day services, employment services, etc.), including many small businesses that employ dozens of workers. Medicaid funding is more than 80% of revenue for a day and residential service provider like The Arc Fond du Lac that employs 97 people.
See the PowerPoint presentation and other materials from the Oshkosh Community Conversation here:
Protecting WI Medicaid – Avoiding Harm in Our Communities
Myth-Busting-about the American Health Care Act and Medicaid
