After Falling Sharply for Several Months, BadgerCare Participation Recovers Slightly

BadgerCare enrollment grew a little in October, after falling sharply during the first three months of the changes the state began implementing in July.   As we reported in a blog post last month, from July through September enrollment fell by more than 16,000 people (roughly 15,500 adults and 600 kids). That included a drop in September of more than 1,100 children and about 3,000 adults.

Even though BadgerCare Core Plan enrollment of childless adults continues to fall by roughly 3 percent each month (and has now decreased to only about 21,700 – one third of the level in early 2010), total enrollment grew by a little more than 1,000 last month.  According to the new DHS figures, the number of parents in BadgerCare was essentially unchanged in October, but the total enrollment of kids grew by more than 1,600.

One month of data doesn’t conclusively establish a trend, but I’m relieved to see that the child enrollment number rebounded in October. We’ll continue to watch and analyze the enrollment figures in the months ahead.

Jon Peacock