Republicans quickly end Evers' special session on BadgerCare Plus without action on plan to bring $1.6 billion in aid to state

MADISON - In a matter of seconds Tuesday, Republican lawmakers shut down Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' special session that sought to expand BadgerCare Plus and draw $1.6 billion in federal aid to Wisconsin.   

Three Republicans — one in the Senate and two in the Assembly — initiated the special session at 1 p.m. and ended it moments later. Most lawmakers were absent, but some Democrats urged them to keep the session alive.

It's the latest instance of Republicans declining to take up matters prioritized by Evers. In the last two years, Republicans have passed on acting on Evers' special sessions to require universal background checks on guns; increase school funding; ban police chokeholds and no-knock warrants; and delay the April 2020 election because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It’s breathtaking that after a year of working to prevent us from responding to COVID-19, Republicans would rather keep playing politics with our economic recovery than invest $1 billion into our state’s economy and support communities in their own districts,” Evers said in a statement just after the vote.  

Shortly after ending the session, Senate President Chris Kapenga of Delafield said Republicans were rejecting Evers' plan because the state is already receiving billions of dollars in additional federal assistance

"If he wanted to get these projects done and he feels they're important, he's already got the money so why would we go to the taxpayers and say, 'Hey, we need another billion dollars even though we've got gobs of money now that we're not spending'?" Kapenga said. 

"It's still taxpayer money and people keep forgetting. They think there's a free money tree out in Washington. They're still going into taxpayers' pockets to get this.

Evers called his latest special session last week in hopes of getting Republicans to come on board with his plan to make about 100,000 more Wisconsinites eligible for the BadgerCare Plus health program by raising the income threshold from 100% of the federal poverty level to 138% of the federal poverty level. 

BadgerCare is a Medicaid program that provides health care to low-income people. Currently, a single person can qualify for BadgerCare Plus if his or her income is below $12,880. Evers' plan would make it available to adults with incomes of $17,774 or less. For a family of four, the income threshold would rise from $26,500 to $36,570.

The change would net the state $1.6 billion over the next two years because of incentives from the federal government under the Affordable Care Act and American Rescue Plan. The deal would allow the state to provide BadgerCare coverage to more people at less cost because the federal government would pick up more expenses. 

Republicans have long opposed the effort because they want more people to get their health insurance through the private sector. The individuals affected by Evers' plan can currently get low-cost insurance through subsidized exchanges set up under the Affordable Care Act. 

Evers and other Democrats argue it's foolish to give up so much federal aid. 

"As other Republican-led states have recognized, refusing Medicaid dollars has repercussions outside of making an expensive political statement," Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh said ahead of the session.

In a Tuesday letter to Evers, Republican leaders said they believed BadgerCare should be reserved for those who are most in need. 

"We will continue to provide essential BadgerCare services to those who truly need it while protecting taxpayers and helping provide an environment that promotes a thriving economy for all of Wisconsin," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and other leaders wrote in their letter

Evers hoped to entice Republicans with his latest legislative package by putting $1 billion toward efforts that have Republican backing. Evers wanted to use $200 million to expand broadband, $100 million to replace lead pipes and $100 million to repair local roads and bridges.  

Republican leaders rejected the proposal Thursday, just hours after Evers unveiled it. Tuesday's vote formally started the session — and quickly ended it. 

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.