Back in October 2011, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) estimated that the state was facing a shortfall in the budget for Medicaid and BadgerCare of about $550 million during the 2011-13 biennium: almost $220 million in state General Purpose Revenue (GPR) and $330 million of matching federal funds. Since then, the size of the projected deficit has fallen by more than 60 percent, without accounting for the newer cost-saving measures. This short paper provides a summary of the evolving deficit estimate and offers several options for closing that shortfall.
A Few Weeks of Supplemental Unemployment Assistance Is No Substitute for Congressional Action
Wisconsin has applied for the supplemental federal unemployment benefit recently authorized by executive actions taken by President Trump. Although the $300 per week supplemental payments will briefly provide some financial relief for thousands of Wisconsin families...
