Updated Monday, October 5, 2009 -- 4:30 p.m.

A new but popular state health insurance plan is reaching capacity. But, with a higher number of Wisconsinites unemployed and lacking health insurance, an effort's underway to expand coverage.

"Unfortunately, the many months of nationwide economic decline have cost too many people in Wisconsin their health care coverage - and their livelihood," Gov. Jim Doyle says.

People like Pamela and Tony Camera. Both lost their jobs and their health insurance but enrolled in the state's BadgerCare Plus Core Plan -- a program for adults with no dependent children.

"I think it's extremely important that this program reach out to everybody who does not have coverage," Tony Camera says.

But, the Governor says the core plan already is reaching its capacity, under federal guidelines - it can afford about 54-thousand people.

"Since June 15th, 500-600 applications every single day, seven days a week."

The demand is causing the state to suspend enrollment Friday at noon.

"Our plan is required to be budget neutral and so, there is a limit on the number of people we can enroll."

Anyone who enrolls after the Friday deadline will be added to a waiting list, where they could remain for months - Doyle says - at a high cost to the insured and health care providers. That's why, he says, he's calling for the secretary of the Department of Health Services to devise, within a month and a half, a separate, "no frills" plan for people waiting for space.

"This will not cost taxpayers anything and it will not be the type of long term coverage people are looking for, but we believe we can design a program... basic ... that people can afford in the 50-100 dollar a month range."

Those premiums will fund the program, if it's approved by the legislature. DHS Secretary Karen Timberlake says the goal is to phase out the program when it's no longer needed. But, the governor says the demand for basic yet affordable coverage in a state with a high number of people already insured shows the need for national reform.

You can find information at:
www.badgercareplus.org

Officials strongly recommend people enroll in the core plan online.

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The Republican Party of Wisconsin issued a statement:
Democrats Fail to Lower the Cost of Health Care

MADISON - Following Governor Doyle’s announcement today that BadgerCare Plus Core will soon run out of funding, Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus issued the following statement:

“BadgerCare Plus Core's bankruptcy is a clear indication that Doyle and Democrats have done nothing to bring down the cost of health care in Wisconsin, forcing many families to seek assistance then leaving the call unanswered. A so-called “public option” at the federal level will likely face the same fate, leading to mounting deficits and other disastrous effects such as health care rationing.

Instead of forever expanding government health care, we should be focused on making health care more affordable for families and small businesses through free market reforms that will lead to more access to quality care across the state.”

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Updated Monday, October 5, 2009---11:10 a.m.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle said the success of a new state health insurance plan for poor childless adults shows the need for national health care reform.

The program for childless adults began in mid-July but there was only enough money budgeted to cover about 54,000 adults. Already 60,000 applications have been received.

Doyle said Monday that a waiting list will begin for any new applications received after noon on Friday.

A new program will be created as soon as possible to provide a minimal level of coverage to those people on the waiting list. Doyle says as many as 20,000 people could be on the waiting list and they would cover the cost of their premiums to be in that new plan.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Posted Monday, October 5, 2009---10:42 a.m.

Press Release from Governor Doyle's Office:

Governor Doyle Announces Suspension of BadgerCare Plus Core Plan Enrollment

Calls for National Health Care Reform

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle announced today that the state is approaching the maximum number of enrollees for the new BadgerCare Plus Core Plan for adults without dependent children and will suspend enrollment at noon this Friday, October 9th. Everyone who applies after noon on Friday will be added to a waiting list. The Department of Health Services (DHS) began taking applications for the plan on June 15, 2009.

“The fact that we have to implement a waiting list is not surprising – the fact that we have to apply the waiting list three months after taking the first application is,” Governor Doyle said. “Since we began taking applications we have received 500 to 600 applications each day and more than half of these individuals have no income whatsoever. I can think of no clearer demonstration of the need for national health care reform. Despite the tremendous work we have done here in Wisconsin, BadgerCare Plus, and state plans like it, are merely bridges to get us to national health reform.”

Governor Doyle directed DHS to design a proposal to offer some basic level of coverage for those on the Core Plan waiting list. The plan would be self-funded and not include any taxpayer funding, but would offer some form of coverage while individuals waited to be enrolled in the Core Plan.

According to Medicaid rules, the Core Plan must be budget neutral which means that there is a set amount of money that can be spent on the program. The state estimates that the program can afford to cover approximately 54,000 individuals and nearly 60,000 applications have been received so far.

Governor Doyle was introduced at today’s event by Tony Camera, who lives in Genoa City with his wife Pamela. Both were laid-off from their jobs earlier this year, but have been able to get health care through BadgerCare Plus.

Because of the high demand expected in the remaining days of enrollment, the state is strongly encouraging individuals who have yet to apply to do so online at www.badgercareplus.org.

Individuals may wish to consider applying for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan if they:

* Are a Wisconsin resident between the ages of 19 through 64;
* Are a U.S. Citizen or qualifying immigrant;
* Do not have dependent children, under age 19, living with them and are not pregnant;
* Have a monthly family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level ($21,660 per year for a single person and $29,139 per year for a married couple);
* Do not have health insurance or have not had access to employer subsidized health insurance during the previous 12 months, with a few exceptions; and
* Are not enrolled in or able to enroll in BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid or Medicare.