Anyone who knows this trail will say that there are worse areas than the milwaukee street site.
Brunswick has hidden trail close to the road that drivers cannot see bike riders approaching.
Racine street is a 5-lane higher speed limit road with vehicles exiting off a 65mpy freeway.
Prairie ave is a night mare from rude drivers and the winding road.
Wright road is terrible with the hill blocking vehicles and traffic speed.
Jackson street has a blind corner not even a short block away with 4/lanes.
Center ave toward riverside has hills, winding road, 4-lane, constricted by the river/bridge and ohh ya don't forget US highway traffic.
The south side has the trail crossing a 55mph zone.
See folks, this is feel good save the children pull at your heart stuff because it is east side popular (and I am east side). There is much more bang for the 1/2 million dollar buck were are talking about spending.
IF we are going to spend 1/2 million dollars lets at least get more for our money and help multiple risk sites...

Quote from TCB: "Yes, health insurance is expensive because health care is expensive, especially in the United States where we have an abundance of quality physicians, state-of-the-art equipment, extraordinary techniques and a smorgasbord of drugs. Unlike the socialized systems in Canada and Europe, Americans can actually access these services in a timely fashion without having to wait for months or years."
So you know all this for a fact? I was a health care practitioner in the US for many years, and watched everyone's health care benefits (my own included) degrade. My "preferred" provider (yep, chosen by my insurance company) had a copay of $40 per standard visit. I would have to make an appointment 2 months in advance to see the doctor. Referrals in a timely manner? Guess again. I have seen the companies that I work for limit most people's hours, so they would not be working 40 hours/week and thus be denied benefits.
I now live in Canada. I go to the doctor of MY choice and can usually get an appointment within a week. My doctor here takes the time to talk about my health and is very caring. When I first moved here, I was not covered under Canada's universal health care and had to pay $30 per visit. My routine blood and lab work does not require an appointment, but some days I have had to wait a half hour to get it done. A friend here was hit by a car while crossing the street. My friend was taken to the ER and seen quickly (no long waits at the ER on a Friday night), and got X-rays, CAT scans and all the tests needed before being admitted to a semi-private room and had an excellent nursing staff. My friend was discharged the next day, owing nothing, but had to wait 2 weeks for the MRI needed to determine the ligament damage done to the knees. It was a 2-week wait because the doctor needed to have the swelling go down before doing the MRI. Cost: nothing. All the drugs available in the US are also available here (and a lot of generics and some brand name drugs that the US pharmacies use are made here). Taxes are not higher here, to supply health care to everyone. Doctors and other health professionals are well compensated. Because all people have basic health care here, Canadians rate well above the Americans in mortality and morbidity categories. My Canadian friends will come back from visiting the US and they invariably say that there are a lot of fat Americans and cannot believe the portion sizes served in fast-food places.
Sorry for being long-winded here, but when ALL children have access to good health care, it surely reduces what that society has to pay for later in life. And the people are healthier and live longer as well.
So, please don't make blanket statements about "socialized medicine" if you have not personally lived with it.

To those who feel government run programs are the ones driving up healthcare costs: When you go to Woodman's, everyone pays the same for a gallon of milk and pack of oreos. It doesn't matter if you are on WIC, foodstamps, paying cash or using your credit card. However, when you go a medical provider it is different. Medicaid and Medicare will only pay a certain dollar amount for let's say a cholesterol blood test. The agreed amount is what is billed and the hospital eats the rest often times. If you are a cash paying patient, you also, generally, receive a discount on your bill. And, if you are an HMO or PPO insurance patient, you too are billed a different amount. Sometimes with PPO's the agreed amount is less than the actual billed amount. Again, either the facility eats the difference or in some cases, the patient has to make it up. There is NO set price in medicine like there is for much everything else in our lives. There may be a set price on the books, but what actually gets billed is a different story! And, finally, just because (you) have BadgerCare or Medicare doesn't mean you have a free trip to the doctor/dentist/etc.., There are services they will not cover and there are time limitations for other things. Since I used it as an example already, if you have a normal cholesterol check in January but in July you are displaying classic textbooks signs of high cholesterol, medicare mostly likely will not pay for that 2nd blood screen. One a year is their guideline. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. And, let's hope all the nay-sayers on here never need help of any kind or that a family member needs help of any kind.

doc and stu_pedasso: I agree with you both!

Doc, way to go. You echo my sentiments exactly. I wish you would have tied in all the high paying factory and tech jobs that have gone over seas. That is another rant waiting for another day, but I puke every time I see people bragging about there foreign cars and how much better they are, knowing how that is killing our country. Danged right with peeing in a cup. I have to do the same.
Anyway, you really can’t blame the people for signing up for Badgercare. If the bank was handing out $50 bills the line would be long. This is Doyle’s fault. Where is all this money going to come from? Last week I heard there was a $400 million dollar deficit and he was scratching to find cuts to cover it. Looks like the middle class is going to get bent over again. Last week while paying my Alliant bill I noticed a $3 extra charge on there. It was a State mandated charge to all customers to help people who can’t pay their utilities make it through the winter. Where is this going to end?
I wonder if the mass migration to Wisconsin has started already? Doc is right, more people equals less jobs that will pay even less. I wonder how this will play into the employer’s ways of thinking. Now he doesn’t have to offer insurance in his package or he can cut it if he has it, the state has it covered.
I am all for helping the kids. They are innocent and are our future. I hate these programs that start out as a helping hand and end up turning into a way of life for people.

Stu

Oh and this is off topic, but doc...does this need to become a forum for ethnic issues. My point being, "do you all speak the native language of this country?...being that of the natives that were here when your ancestors got here."

This sounds like an improvement for sure!! When my older children were little, I was poor and able to get free health care for them...by the time they were young teens I had been through school and was working a nice office job. I was making almost $11 an hour for the first time things were improving, I was no longer on foodstamps...but I had medical from the state taken away with my last raise...therefore I had to pay for insurance through my employer. This was $100 a week for premium out of my check and I had to pay copays and up to 40% of the end bill, depending on what the service provided was! So, I was back to being so poor that I ended up being evicted because I couldn't keep current on the rent and the utilities. So, what I thought was finally a great job....bit me in the end. This program change sounds like it will aide people trying to come up the ladder and make their lives more productive. Not to mention, the people in that just out of poverty bracket up to the middle class, the people who believe they just can't afford to be hit with more medical costs and who will wait it out until their kids are darn near deathly ill before having them seen by a doctor!!???!!! Me, personally, I'll take the hit and let it go to collections...my kids come first! But that's not everyone...too often, I hear that a parent is waiting it out to hopefully avoid the costs...it makes me sad. Preventative and early treatment is great for everyone...cheaper in the long run-yes! Better for the kids and their families-yes!

Sorry for going off so bad it just gets frustrating, and yes I know its spelled foreign and this is A great program for kids and all the parents that deserve it.

Alright now that I've read all the posts (Rants) and I want to offer up a few thoughts if thats OK...... Many people have to take A routine drug screening at work or to get work and once they work they pay taxes, everybody follow so far? Well I ask this, would it be out of line to have people on these programs take the same screenings to get there benifits? That would eleminate those who don't belong on these programs and maybe social services could place those children in protective custody isn't that what CPS is supposed to do? I'm sick of the dope feinds unsupervised kids that have basically raised themselves going out getting into trouble becoming the next generation to burden the hardworking tax payers lets nip this in the bud! I'll pee for you(and go to work)but you are going to have to pee for me 1st!(if you want your freebies) This would make the system work better for the people who deserve it that have spoken here such as sewaelizebeth which by the way could and should be the model for single mothers that are doing what they can and everything it takes to raise there kids and better themselves at the same time I truelly beleve it sends A messege to the kids that they can make it in life through hard work and that the system is there to assist you and not support you, thats why its called public assistance and not public support!!!!!! Next item up for reading I need to touch on the thought that MrBlack touched on the illegals, yes this may cause some problems of them migrating to our generous state,so I offer A solution...... Press 1 for english if you don't speak english hang up and call back when you do!!!!! If you put that on every government assisted help line I think that would be A great start, my ancesstors came over here and one of the first things they did was find work and learn the language of our fair country, when did we go oh so wrong? We seem to be going in the wrong direction in so many ways, when is enough enough? I ask everyone why do I need to take A course in A forein language just to get along in the country I was born and raised in? Why is Caringone4s husband layed off? Is it because some forein country will do his job for less or is it A foreiner in this country will do it for less? We need to take care of our own first and foremost we are supposed to be the greatest country in the world yet it seems we could learn so much from other countries these days........ If you agree thats great this is America and you all have that freedom to agree or dis-agree........ AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To the people that question whether children of deadbeat parents should suffer or not....well, basically, if is wasn't universally known that if I have a kid and don't work, I will get money for being a loser, people would be darn careful before they lay down and do the deed for the fear of having to actually work harder than they want to. I agree that people should have a minimum requirement to meet to receive public assistance, and if they don't...one of two things are bound to happen....they decide to work at least a little bit to meet the requirements, or they get their children taken away, and the public assistance will go to a family that is worthy of these children...i.e. foster homes or better yet, people seeking to adopt a child. And then these deadbeats can continue being a deadbeat and only harm themselves and not an innocent child. And before anyone takes offense to the point I am trying make, I truely believe that hardship hits people that are upstanding citizens, and that they are fully deserving of assistance, it is the ones who decide to party party party, and have relations with anyone and everyone under the influence of substances or laziness that don't deserve a free ride. They need to grow up and get help for their inability to cope with life, or find a nice thick box on a street corner and put up house....minus innocent children. But this will never happen as long as there are laws protecting these lazy deadbeats from being evicted without a big messy lawsuit, welfare to encourage unprotected sex and more and more money for each unwanted child. Wake up congress.....this just keeps the evolution of these behaviours going. We need to stop the cycle.

I never said I wanted universal healthcare run by the government. I never said it would be more cost-effective or efficient. I was commenting on Badgercare-which is not universal health care. As far as DRG's and capitated plans, etc-these are happening now in this open market. I don't know if you took that as my endorsement of universal health care-as it is government related? All I wanted to say in the first place about Badgercare is I'm glad that underprivelaged kids can see a doctor if they need to without the parents having to sell a kidney to pay for it. Yay, Badgercare!

sewaelizebeth

As I wrote before, those who can take advantage of badgercare should enroll.

However, you are fooling yourself if you think that universal healthcare, managed by the federal gov't is going to be an efficient, less costly system. The issue is a complicated one and in an election year, it is nothing but rhetoric.

There are a ton of people without coverage. I never said anything about wanting government run health care. The government has a program to cover kids with no insurance. Two of my kids don't have insurance because private insurance is not available to be at this time. I think it is a good thing for kids to be covered-no matter how poor their parents. That's the long and short of my main point. If you have private insurance-great. Use it for whatever ails you. Those of who don't-can have access to health care also.

sewaelizebeth

If your goal is to lay a political foundation for socialized medicine in this country, what better way to do it than to create the public impression that we have a vast army of people - even better: children - who are permanently unable to obtain health insurance.

Yes, health insurance is expensive because health care is expensive, especially in the United States where we have an abundance of quality physicians, state-of-the-art equipment, extraordinary techniques and a smorgasbord of drugs. Unlike the socialized systems in Canada and Europe, Americans can actually access these services in a timely fashion without having to wait for months or years.

Our health-care costs are compounded by a plague of plaintiffs' attorneys, nuisance malpractice suits, the drawn- out Food and Drug Administration approval process for new drugs, government regulations mandating excessive coverage, and medical consumers who have been conditioned to be insensitive to prices because of third-party payers and government subsidies.

Major reforms should include consumer tax deductions for catastrophic coverage and the expansion of tax-deferred Medical Savings Accounts for routine treatment.

Competitive markets benefit consumers and give the most value. Non-competitive markets on the other hand rob consumers by restricting output thereby allowing higher prices for their reduced yield. (Gov't delivered Healthcare-for example). A true free market place does not disallow competition, it encourages it by it's ever evolving new technology nature and the application of it. A non-competitive market is not free. It is encumbered, by it's very nature, with prohibitations.

If that's he case then why is the government trying to lower these outrageous healthcare costs? They are outrageous because of competition? Something doesn't add up

Actually, it is well known that "free market" conditions reduce prices from competition.

Have you heard of diagnosis related groups? It's one of the ways the government is trying to CONTROL COSTS that facilities can charge people for services. Capitated care? I'm actually studying this stuff in school-right now. In my nursing classes. Do I want the government to have control of all aspects of my health care-no. Will I accept help if it is given? Yes. As far as less people wanting to become doctors-awesome! I want a doctor who is in it to help people-not those who are just in it for he money. There is no perfect solution. But to say helping kids to get health care is bad is silly. As far as having nurses being able to provide more basic services-ever heard of a nurse practioner? Lots of em around. The free market is what raises costs. Doctors can charge whatever, the wealthy can afford the services and the poor are left in the lurch.

As a nation of caring individuals, we all want to help those who need it, including myself. Now I'll tell you why this change in Badgercare is bad. Badgercare is for people who can't afford health care because the costs are so high. The reason the costs are so high is because there's so much involvement by the government already with Medicare, and Medicaid. Healthcare providers don't charge the government the minimum amount like a store would charge you for something, they charge the maximum amount they can get. When is causes the price rise, the government regulates the industry more and more until the doctors start leaving, and the quality of care goes down. Regulations are making healthcare unaffordable for small business, and they have to reduce, or drop their employee coverage altogether. That fills up the emergency rooms, and the price goes up further to cover the uninsured. How could anybody think that the government can handle this better than free enterprise? What government program to date has managed something better than free enterprise? I direct your attention to our veterans, the ones that risked their lives so we can live in peace, and came back home injured. How good is their health care? Yes, we do need a safety net for people during unusual circumstances, but Badgercare is a direct lead-in to total government run health care. The insurance companies lobby for it, as do the pharmaceutical companies. Do you really think they have your best interest in mind? Government health care will limit your choices, and less people will be inclined to become doctors, further reducing the quality of care. What we need to do is to make all health care tax deductible. We need to remove regulations that make it hard for small businesses to provide health care, and we should set up a health care savings program for people. Also, allowing health care professionals, like pharmacists, and nurses more authority to give basic services would also reduce costs. The more we put health care back into the hands of the free market, the lower costs will be. This may be a little hard to understand for those of you who want the government to take care of you, but believe me, when all your choices in life have been taken away, and the government is controlling all aspects of your life, it will be too late. The citizens, and free markets of this great country know better than the government.
That's what made this country so great in the first place.

I have no problem helping out the children...They really are the innocent ones in these situations. They did not ask for any of this.
My issue is the parents who expect, yes expect and even demand the govt step in because they have their rights.
Help the kids, that is great, but go after the parents for restitution for the rest of their life.

You have to pay taxes, why not divert to a good cause-you know, sick babies.
But maybe we shouldn't help them because their parents 'weren't prepared'.

You have to pay taxes, why not divert to a good cause-you know, sick babies.
But maybe we should help them because their parents 'weren't prepared'.

Yes, I am generalizing as most do in this post. I am sorry that you and your family are going through times. You see I have in the past and will in the future help out individual situations where someone I know needs temporary help akin to your situation.
You see, I choose to do those on top of taking care of my obligations.
My issue is that this is forced redistribution of money in the form of taxes. Simply because folks did not prepare.
Do people need occasional help? yes. But this is not going to help it is only another crutch for people who need to learn how to walk.

Benthinkin-I think you are making generalizations. I had a career, it offered health insurance, I owned a home and then I had kids. I didn't prepare for the death of my boyfriend. You're correct. I could still afford my home but sold it after he died there. I went to two part time jobs so I could go to school because I realized-I made the wrong career decision. Oops. It happens. I am relieved to have coverage for my two older kids. It's temporary but it will help if my kids need medical attention. I'm just saying that not all people who need help-temporarily even, have made bad decisions or didn't look ahead. Some have made bad decisions or didn't look ahead. When I'm a nurse I will gladly help people who need it, even kids whose parents are a little short on their bills.

I do not have a problem offering this to people who truly need it. I am concerned that the illegal immigrant population will grow larger. Why do you think they come so far North? Wisconsin has always been known for it's generous social programs.

D6 did u read the first line "Starting Friday, all Wisconsin children will qualify for health insurance through BadgerCare Plus, regardless of their family’s income." And for your information I told my social worker and nothing was done.Don't think I was getting mad stating a statement just like u........if u don't sign up then u don't get it, if u have a problem not getting take it up with the Badgercare people not us.

So I go out and make financial decisions without taking into account the future possibilities. Next I call on the taxpayers to come bail me out for lack of preperation because I am a victim?
Not one person in my family has been on the govt assistance of any type. We were taught to 1st get a career, next a home, and oh ya one that you can afford even in bad times. Then comes the family if you can afford it and also set up future finances for them in case something happens to you.
Man I guess I was waaay off on this...Hey I am a little tight this month, can the govt. pick up my bills please.

wisconsinparalegal1

All household (adult)income should be counted. I would encourage anyone who can benefit from this service to enroll. There wil be some who take advantage of the system but this is a consequence of a free society.

Preventive health measures today hopefully will result in a healthier tomorrow.

For once I can admit I agree with Housewife.

Prior to Badgercare Plus I was paying $125/month premium. After turning to Plus, my premium is now $282. One BIG difference is that ALL household income is now counted, as it was not before. It doesn't always matter if a child is covered under insurance elsewhere, they can still qualify for Badgercare.

I cannot believe how rude and heartless some people can be. This sort of article should provoke thoughtful and intellegent bantering, yet all the negative people pop in and trash everyone. This program is to help keep the children healthy. Other states have full health insurance for children and some countries even offer Health Insurance for the entire family. This is what it is meant by "it takes a village". I am a highly educated individual. I attended college, got my degree and found myself in a career that I enjoy. Unfortunately, my career choice doesn't include health insurance. I could work in a factory, be miserable at what I do and have health insurance, but I wouldn't be the parent and wife my family has now. I don't live with my sis, or my parents or with three other families so that I can free load. I also don't smoke crack, although I do have a serious Diet Pepsi and chocolate addiction. My husband is no longer employed by the company he worked for so now the whole family is without insurance. I have Badgercare for my kids. I pay a monthly premium, I don't get it for free. If something were to happen to my children, either a serious injury or serious health problem, I would have to give up everything to help them heal. And I would do it in a heartbeat. But it means they'd be healthy yet homeless. We were paying for insurance on our own, but we were putting out $700 a month, which needed to go to other "important" items such as Gas, Electric, Food and our mortgage. Then I'd have to get on renters assistance and then the community and tax payers could pay for my life that way as well. Yes, unfortunately there are people who take advantage of what is offered to them. But I have experienced a much larger percentage of people who desperately NEED it. Don't criticize until you've been in their shoes. My only problem with this expanded Badgercare Plus benefit is that there is currently not enough dental care providers to serve the children and families already on medicaid/medicare/badgercare. I pay for my children's dental on my own because I love the dentist they are at, but they don't accept Badgercare. I am hoping that when they expanded this coverage, they also expanded their dentists as well.

I don't feel like anyone is personally attacking me. I can only speak for myself, thus the stories about myself and the defense of MY situation. I can't speak about others experiences because I don't know all the details. I talk only about what I know. You said-to expect for society to make up the slack is just nuts. I don't expect it-but it is helpful since it's there. You said you only brought children into the world when you were ready to support them in all ways. Like mine-other's situtions can change. You seem to have lumped everyone who needs a little help into a group of people who expect society to take care of them and that had kids before they should have.

This is a program that empowers all workers! You shouldn't have to slave through your job or risk your family's health. This is a great plan that liberates people from being handcuffed to a job because of health insurance. This rocks!

sewaelizabeth, I don't believe I mentioned you specifically in my post. I was talking about all public assistance, if I did not make that clear. I believe what I DID make clear was that I was not against this new program.
Both posts you made said that people are 'judging you'. Well, we can only understand what you have so far divulged. Perhaps you should look at what people post and take ideas from their posts, and not take them as personal attacks against you. You obviously don't need the additional stress in your life.

sewaelizebeth, good for you. Again, you are the type of person these programs are designed for. Thank you for using it accordingly. You're setting a good example for others by doing so. Again, HELP THE PEOPLE THAT HELP THEMSELVES! People could learn something from sewaelizebeth.

I understand where some of you are coming from with 'support the kids that need help'. That is their parents responsibility. If you can't support kids, don't have them. It's not my responsibility as a taxpayer to support someone that has 3 or 4 kids that they can't support. HOWEVER, like I stated before, set limits on a minimum income. I'm not saying it has to be outrageously high. Hell, I'm not even saying there really has to be a limit, but a requirement to at least be working.

Gollum, I meant the same thing you did about 400, cases not people. My bad. Also, you're right about the case workers, they are just doing their job. They could give a crap less how they spend the tax payers money or who they give it to, or who is taking advantage of it. From my own first hand experience, they'll even tell you how to cheat the system to get more benefits than you are supposed to. That's the problem, not that they are dealing with a lot of cases and may be overwhelmed.

caringone4, you are the type of family this coverage is designed for. Good luck with your husband finding work. :)

I had a job with insurance when I brought kids into this world. I owned my own home and I was, and I still am, responsible for my kids and myself. After my boyfriend died things got harder. When I decided to go back to school my job didn't fit as well. I found two jobs that I work seven days a week so I can have time for my kids and school. Unfortunately, health insurance from these jobs weren't available. I don't expect for society to take up the slack for what I'm apparently doing wrong-but if the help is there I will take it so my children can have their needs taken care of. I have had to take my kids to the doctor-and I have paid for those visits. It took some time to pay off but I took responsibility. So judge me because I have children and may still need help. Judge me on that without knowing anything about me.
And Mikki, I go to school even though I have kids to support. I work full time too. It can be done.

Amen, D6.

It's interesting that people complain about the services they get. The state/county/feds try to be as generous as they can be and people still are going to find fault.

I'm not against this new healthcare program, but I understand the anger of some people thinking the government keeps giving more and more to those that refuse to help themselves (and I am not saying that everyone fits this description).

When you are born, you are not made a 'ward of the state'. The choices you make in your own life are yours, not anyone else's. I brought children into the world when I was prepared to support them in all ways. Once could have setbacks in life, but for me to expect society to take up the slack is just nuts.

Where I work, there are many people who would love to go to school to further their education. They simply cannot do so because they have children to support. I am responsible for the children I brought into the world, as well as myself.

Apparently 'tiredofallthebull', you haven't read your notices lately, which I'm not surprised.
If your income is incorrect, you should be contacting your caseworker. Don't get mad at us, we're not mind readers.
And as for making fathers pay, guess you should have talked about that with the guy before you hit the sack.

I'd also like to point out that not ALL children can get BadgerCare . My son, with my income and health insurance, is not eligible.

My family has been recieving Badger Care service and Food assistance for the last 6 months. My husband was laid off from his job of 13 years. We have four children and having health coverage for them is one less stressor on our family as we look for new careers. I was always able to stay home, now that has changed. I will tell you that if you are on these programs the job service is notified and you must report to them. If you do not report to your appointment they stop all services provided to you, including the health coverage. Until you prove to them that you are working or looking for work, those services are not put back into place. We do not plan on being on this forever but it is nice to know it is there for these reasons.

So if I make $200,000 a year I can get state funded health care for my kids?

Paisleysdaddy,
Please, make sure that you spell things out correctly. The case workers do not have just 400 people per month, they have 400 cases per month. This can be one person or multiple people depending on the number of children in the household.
I also want to point out that the workers don't just hand out benefits, they are doing their job, the government is the one that decides what the policy is.
Give some, no make that a lot of credit to the people who do that job daily, put up with the awful amount of stress that the programs generate, having to go to court and defend why they did their job and restrictions that have to be followed to the letter. These people are great people and they truely do a wonderful job under such adverse conditions.
I don't know what is right for the BadgerCare Plus program but I am glad that the children will be taken care of. It isn't fair sometimes but I have to say that it isn't the childrens fault but they are the ones that need the help.

On a kind of side note-e-ville gotme thinking-I went to urgent care at Mercy East. I had strep throat. The awesome and caring doctor there saw that I had no insurance and gave me sample packs of Omnicef. I paid for the visit but the drugs were taken care of. I'm glad to see some people don't judge and just help those in need.

I am on Badger Care, working two jobs to pay my bills, get no support from the father, but they still use it as income, how can you count income thats not coming in. I think if the father's don't have to pay for the insurance on their kids, lets put the kids on badger care and make the mother's pay the premium when it should be the father paying it for it. Then to top it all off let's add more money to the paper work, that your not getting. Just to make the premium higher. Get their fact straight first, before filling out papers with the wrong income amount so you get screwed for lying and your the one that is trying to get it straight. I don't know how one can make $8.25 hr working 8hr a week can being home $184.22 every two weeks just doesn't add up. Anyone got an answers for that one.

Paisleysdaddy,
The losers who smoke crack don't get healthcare for their kids. With those type of people, even if you handed them a free appointment card, bus tokens, and a waiver, they won;t get their kids to a dentist or doctor. They'll sell what you give them for drugs.
PLUS, low income people ALREADY QUALIFY. Hello? Are you getting this? The ones in the lurch are families with 2-3 kids who make about $35-40,000 a year. Enough to pay rent and food, but just on the cusp of being able to afford healthcare when premiums are $400 a month- plus $35 a doctor visit and 30% drug copay.
A two year old with infected ears can easily need 3-4 doctors visits, antibiotics that cost $165 a pop (not kidding- it's called Omnicef) and if he/she needs tubes in the ears- well, you're talking outpatient surgery. 20% copay of a $11,000 surgery (typical charge for ear tubes) is $2200. That's an entire month's income for some working families. THAT is what BadgerCare Plus is FOR.

Of course, we COULD just let those worker's kids go deaf, then deal with all the special education costs, social security costs, and disability payments for the REST OF THEIR LIVES....

The KEY ISSUE is that Wisconsin has finally figured out that keeping children healthy EARLY saves mucho dinero tax dollars when they are adults LATER.

Trust me when I say there are those who will be way below whatever minimum level you would like to see set that arent unemployed. I'm a single mother of four. With my two jobs, child support for one child and my oldest two kids social security (their dad died when they were little-well my son wasn't yet born) I make approxiamately $2230 a month. I support my kids with this-barely. I don't get food stamps or whatever else is available. When one kid is sick it takes months to pay the bill. I got a notice in the mail saying that my older two kids now had health insurance. What a load off. If my $2230 a month for a family of 5 was below a minimum income level I would be a hard working person being penalized for just not making enough money. I understand you want the 'freeloaders' to be penalized-but your idea could penalize people like me. And since you seem to be the judgemental type-I am going to school so you don't have to worry about supporting my children's and my health care habit forever.

Amen paisleysdaddy!! Help those who help themselves first.

Let me get this straight, you want to punish children of unemployed parents? Explain to me why they don't deserve health care. I'd say the positives far outweigh the negatives here.

That is, unless you have better things to do with your few dollars a month.

Ok, how about a MINIMUM income requirement for these groups? Why is it that people who choose not to work at all get to free-load off the rest of the tax-payers?

Scenario: "Geez, let me sit at my sister's house where I live for free and smoke crack all day. Heck, I can get Badgercare for insurance and food stamps for my kid I don't take care of too. Wow, it doesn't get any easier than this."

And it's true. I've seen it. The case workers wouldn't have 400 people a piece if they wouldn't just hand out stuff to every person that walks in looking for a free ride.

You work, you try your hardest and can't quite make it, we'll cover you. Sitting on your butt doing nothing, you better get a job.