Details of Gov. James Doyle's (D) proposal to expand health coverage for children and some adults were released Thursday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Doyle's plan, which he first announced in his state of the state address, would allow families to buy Medicaid coverage for their children at a cost ranging from $10 to $60 a month, depending on family income. Families with incomes above a cutoff -- roughly $50,000 for a family of three -- would pay the full cost for the insurance. The plan would be funded with administrative cost savings by merging three existing public health insurance programs -- Medicaid, BadgerCare and Healthy Start -- into a single program called BadgerCare Plus. The state estimated that the plan would cost $47.7 million to operate over two years but would reduce spending by $58.8 million. Streamlining insurance administration would save counties an additional $12.9 million, according to a state estimate. State officials said the plan would lead to 12,600 additional children obtaining insurance, as well as an additional 14,400 adults. In order to become law, the plan needs approval from the state Legislature and CMS. Jason Helgerson, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health and Family Services, said the plan would "radically change and simplify" state health insurance programs. State Rep. Curt Gielow (R) said he is "skeptically optimistic" about the plan, but added, "It's going to take a hell of a sales job to convince the Republicans that this isn't just another welfare program that costs a fortune." Luke Punzenberger -- a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R), a gubernatorial candidate -- said, "[R]ather than expanding government-run health care ... Mark Green believes we should look for ways to make health care more affordable in the private sector" (Boulton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/14).

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