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The BadgerCare Plus Advisors Group is responsible for providing guidance and advice to the State on all policy and program design issues. The group has met eight times during the development of BadgerCare Plus to review and discuss recommendations from the internal Steering Committee and offer suggestions for improvements. Each of these two-hour sessions was a public meeting. The Advisors Group includes representatives from business, health plans, providers, public health, farmers, Native American tribes, the State Legislature, faith-based organizations, county government, children’s advocacy groups, and the University of Wisconsin. The Advisors Group includes:

Bevan Baker, City of Milwaukee Health Department Melissa Duffy, Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives Donna Friedsam, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Sabrina Gentile, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation Representative Curt Gielow and Representative Jon Richards, Wisconsin State Assembly Michael Jacob, Covering Kids and Families—Wisconsin Nyree Kedrowski and Lori Pidgeon, Ho-Chunk Nation Ed Kamin, Kenosha County Department of Human Services Dr. John Meurer and Dr. Glenn Flores, Medical College of Wisconsin Senator Mark Miller and Senator Dan Kapanke, Wisconsin State Senate Father Thomas Mueller, St. Cyril and Methodist Orthodox Church, Milwaukee Paul Nannis, Aurora Health Care Jon Peacock, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families Bobby Peterson, Advocacy and Benefits Counseling (ABC) for Health, Inc. David Riemer, Wisconsin Health Project Bill Smith, National Federation of Independent Business Dr. Susan Turney, Wisconsin Medical Society Nancy Wenzel, Wisconsin Association of Health Plans

Wisconsin has also held eight focus group discussions to identify problems with current programs, suggest improvements, and provide feedback on concepts and strategies proposed for BadgerCare Plus. One group was composed of BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid providers from throughout Wisconsin. The remaining seven groups, with representatives from thirteen communities across the state, were composed of low-income families, both individuals currently enrolled in Family Medicaid, BadgerCare and Healthy Start, and parents without current health insurance coverage. Each focus group included 15-20 individuals and lasted an average of one and one-half hours. Each participant received a stipend of $20 to offset transportation and/or child care expenses.

The provider group included representatives from HMOs and physicians. Responses revealed that providers remain concerned about ‘no-shows,’ that

WISCONSIN

Effective Date:

Approval Date: 67