Ferretlass and I are no longer married.
At least that's what the Scott Walker says.
About a week ago, we received a letter from the State saying that we still qualified for Badgercare, Wisconsin's State Health Insurance program. Yesterday we got another letter saying "Oops! No, you're not!"
When my wife called the State to ask why, she was told because of my change in income status. "But our income hasn't changed! My husband is making exactly the same amount he made six months ago!"
Ah, my income may not have changed, but my status has.
More ranting below:
Badgercare provides free medical coverage for people below a certain income level. We met that level for a family of four. But apparently the rules have changed now and our household is no longer considered a four-person family (a married couple, a dependent adult and a dependent child), but rather a group of three adults and a child who just happen to live in the same house together. And while my income may put us below the poverty level for a family of four, it's a princly amount for a swingin' single bachelor, which apparently I now am.
What does this mean for us? Well, our oldest daughter is a college student, and so we think it shouldn't be too difficult to get insurance for her. My wife is still eligible for Badgercare, but will have to re-apply for it. As for me, I can either remain on Badgercare but start paying a fee for it, or find another insurance provider.
And how much will Badgercare now cost? Funny you should ask. The State won't tell us. Not until December. Which means that we will have to make an informed decision about my health insurance without being able to actually compare different programs. Is that how competition is supposed to work?
Ferretlass suspects that these changes were devised and sprung on us at the last minute in order to create confusion and anger; to overload the new Federal Health Exchange system and to get people mad at Obamacare. But this is all Scott Walker's doing.
If this garbage about re-classifying us as individuals and not a family was part of the ACA, don't you think the Republicans would have been hyperventilating about how "Obamacare is Re-defining the Family!!!"
No.
Ever since he was innaugurated, Walker has been talking about wanting to cut Badgercare. Well, he's got what he wanted.