Federal Government Approves Walker Health Plan
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker recently announced the federal government approved his Health Care Stability Plan. Walker applied for the plan in April using the 1332 Waiver for State Innovation Application under the Affordable Care Act.
According to a release from the Governor’s Office, the plan provides $200 million in reinsurance funding to cover costs in Wisconsin’s individual market. The funding is expected to lower premium rates in the state’s individual insurance market by 3.5% in 2019.
“People in the individual market saw their premiums go up by 44 percent on average last year, and some saw much larger increases – that’s unsustainable and unacceptable,” Governor Walker said in a press release. “Thankfully, the federal government is giving us the flexibility to implement a Wisconsin-based solution to help stabilize premiums. Our Health Care Stability Plan is simple and it lowers costs. In fact, it’s expected to actually lower premiums by 3.5 percent on average from 2018 rates. Thanks to the Wisconsin Legislature for all of its work and support on this monumental reform.”
Earlier this year, the State Legislature approved the plan following Governor Walker’s original proposal in the 2018 State of the State Address.
According to Representative Mary Felzkowski (R – Irma), had the legislature not approved the plan, premium rates in 2019 could have been 11% higher than they will under the plan.
Walker and state Republicans consider the announcement a victory heading into their fall campaigns before the general election in November.