General Assistance Medical Care Weekly Report
It is not true that Minnesota is the only state with a program like General Assistance Medical Care to cover low income adults without children. Over the next few weeks our weekly GAMC report will highlight programs available in other states that cover the same people who are currently covered under GAMC in Minnesota.
Low income adults without children in Wisconsin began enrolling in a new state program this week that expands the BadgerCare insurance program. Wisconsin expects to enroll 40,000 to 81,000 residents at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) in the new BadgerCare Core program1. The expanded coverage comes even as Wisconsin wrestles with a $6.6 billion budget deficit.
GAMC care provided by Regions Hospital for the week of June 1, 2009
Total GAMC patient visits2
Emergency Room
Inpatient
Same Day Surgery
Outpatient3
Reimbursement that will be lost
|
250
89
27
3
131
$290,623
|
Story of the week: Mary4, age 55
Mary had health insurance through her employer when doctors at Regions Hospital diagnosed breast cancer last winter. She was able to hang on to the insurance for several months, but was forced to quit her job when chemotherapy and radiation made her too sick to work. Her medical bills so far top $85,000. Health insurance paid for about half, but she now owes more than $40,000. Financial counselors at Regions are helping her enroll in GAMC while the program lasts.
1 Source: Milwaukee Sentinel Journal
2 GAMC or in process of enrolling
3 Outpatient visits include radiology, chemotherapy, chemical dependency, mental health and other diagnostic visits.
4 Not patients real name.
