Last Sunday’s Tip (HERE) noted how the end of the Covid Public Health Emergency (PHE) will affect Medicaid enrollees. 

As fate would have it, I attended Friday’s Milwaukee Press Club event featuring Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Vos. It garnered extensive weekend coverage, with the exception of one off-script question that piqued my interest: i.e., might the end of the PHE be a good time for Wisconsin to join 41 other states (including D.C.) in expanding Medicaid. 

To paraphrase the response: ‘Heck, no. Medicaid (and Medicare) pay providers a fraction of the actual cost of care, resulting in cost shifting to the (commercially) insured population. Expanding Medicaid therefore, would result in higher premiums to the majority who get coverage through their employer or through an individual plan.’

Is the reverse true?

Of the 1,363,624 Wisconsin residents enrolled in Medicaid (Source: KFF – excellent reference HERE), estimates are 150,000 (~ 10%) will lose coverage at the end of the PHE. 

So premiums for my clients will decrease by 10%?

Snark aside, I’ll bet there’s been a calculation of the actual premium impact to a commercially insured for every Medicaid/Medicare enrollee. 

Several Tips readers are very close to this issue. 

Please enlighten me/us.