Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Highlighting Plan to Audit Health Insurance Companies, Expand Access to Affordable Healthcare

Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting plans in his 2025-27 Executive Budget to crack down on insurance companies and prescription price gouging, lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs, reduce appointment wait times, enable Wisconsinites to get healthcare closer to home, and expand access to affordable healthcare statewide, including in rural communities.

Gov. Evers’ budget proposes sweeping changes to the healthcare industry in Wisconsin to address the frustrating challenges Wisconsinites face every day simply trying to get the healthcare they need. Gov. Evers’ budget will:

• Crack down on insurance companies and prescription price gouging;
• Reduce appointment wait times and enable Wisconsinites to get care closer to home;
• Lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs for medication and insulin;
• Require health insurance companies to automatically cover more healthcare services and procedures with no delays and hassles;
• Prevent surprise medical billing and reporting unpaid medical debt to collections and credit bureaus; and
• Provide new hospital investments to improve healthcare access statewide, including in Wisconsin’s rural communities.

As part of his plan to lower out-of-pocket costs for working families and make healthcare more affordable, Gov. Evers announced his “Less for Rx” plan to lower prescription drug prices, improve oversight of drug companies, cap the cost of insulin copays at $35, and protect consumers from price gouging on their medications. Gov. Evers “Less for Rx” plan also includes removing the sales tax on over-the-counter medications, which would save Wisconsinites a projected $70 million over the next two years.

The governor’s budget plan would also once again expand BadgerCare, ensuring healthcare coverage for more than 90,000 Wisconsinites, saving the state over $1.9 billion, and drawing down an additional $2.5 billion in federal funding. In addition to expanding BadgerCare, Gov. Evers is also once again proposing his “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies” initiative. This proposal would provide $55 million over the biennium to reduce disparate outcomes in maternal and infant health, as well as support Wisconsin families and babies.

More information about the governor’s efforts to audit health insurance companies and expand access to quality, affordable healthcare is available here.

Hey there, Wisconsin! Governor Tony Evers here.

I’ve always believed that healthcare should not be a privilege afforded only to the healthy and wealthy—Wisconsinites should be able to get the healthcare you need when you need it.

It’s why I’m proposing a robust budget to help improve access to quality, affordable healthcare coverage, lower costs on healthcare and medication, and ensure Wisconsinites can get care quicker and closer to home.

In addition to making new hospital investments designed to help improve access to healthcare in Wisconsin’s rural communities, I’m proposing new strategies to improve wait times for scheduling appointments and to make sure Wisconsinites can get insurance coverage for services close to home.

My plan would also set price ceilings on prescription medications, cap the copay for insulin, and crack down on price gouging and health insurance companies by making Wisconsin the first state in America to start auditing health insurers for denying insurance claims at high rates.

I’m also proposing to save Wisconsinites a projected $70 million over the next two years by eliminating the sales tax on over-the-counter medications.

And finally, I’m proposing to join red and blue states across our country by expanding BadgerCare.

And through my “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies” initiatives, we’ll extend postpartum coverage for pregnant women on BadgerCare to up to one year after giving birth, expand access to doula services, and other efforts to support new moms and kids.

With politicians in Washington threatening to gut critical programs that kids, families, seniors, veterans, and farmers depend on every day in order to help pay for the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, our work in Wisconsin has never been more important.

I’ve been proud as governor to fight against every effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and every attack on access to quality, affordable healthcare in Wisconsin.

So, I’ll continue to stand against efforts to cut Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, or any other program Wisconsin kids, families, seniors, farmers, and veterans depend on every day.

Thank you.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.