TOMAHAWK (WAOW) – Peggy McDowell is speaking out after she says she had to choose between her marriage and her health care — the two divorcing in order to qualify individually for the state’s Medicaid program known as BadgerCare.
While married, she and her husband earned just enough to not qualify.
“My combined Social Security with his pushed us $100 dollars a year over the 100% poverty limit, which forbid either one of us from being eligible for Medicaid,” McDowell said.
She wants Wisconsin to follow suit with other states and expand access and qualifications for Medicare. Wisconsin is currently one of 12 states that has not expanded Medicaid.
McDowell is taking her plea directly to the legislators at their recent budget listening session in Minocqua.
There, she shared strong words after the fate of the expansion is up in the air after gridlock in Madison, saying, “To take energy to convince some of these politicians to care about people is a waste of energy.”
Governor Evers has included BadgerCare expansion in his proposed budget, but it faces an uphill battle from the Republican-controlled legislature.
