12-Month Continuous Health Care Coverage for Children Enrolled in BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid Programs Begins January 1, 2024

Starting January 1, 2024, most children enrolled in BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid programs will keep their health insurance benefits for 12 months, even if their family has a change in income or other circumstances. The goal of this new policy is to improve health outcomes for children.

Even if a family’s income goes above the program’s limit for children under 19, their children will keep their coverage until it has been one year since their last application or renewal.

For example:

• If a child is in a household that renewed their benefits in July 2023 and is still enrolled as of January 1, 2024, they will keep their benefits at least through their renewal in June 2024.
• If a child is in a household that renews coverage successfully in 2024, the child will also keep their benefits for 12 months, starting the month after the renewal was due.
• If a child under age 19 enrolls on or after January 1, 2024, they will keep their benefits for 12 months.

Children will remain eligible throughout the 12-month period unless they turn 19, move out of Wisconsin, their citizenship or immigration status is not verified, or the family asks to end their coverage.

This new policy is the result of a federal law change that was a part of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Helping families through their health care renewals will continue to be vital to keeping children covered. Providers are asked to remind BadgerCare Plus or other Wisconsin Medicaid program members to keep their contact information up to date with their program so communications from DHS about their health care coverage reach them.

There will be a future ForwardHealth Update with more information for providers, including HMOs and other managed care programs.