Fitzgerald Co-Leads Legislation to Protect Wisconsinites and the Most Vulnerable from Obamacare’s Medicaid Discrimination

May 9, 2025 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) co-introduced the Ending Medicaid Discrimination Against the Most Vulnerable Act, to allow Medicaid to work best for those who need it most by: Stopping Obamacare’s discrimination of the most vulnerable by phasing out enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for able-bodied adults. Making it easier for states to adopt a healthcare model like Wisconsin’s BadgerCare Plus by reducing Medicaid expansion eligibility from 138% to 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Protecting taxpayers from footing the bill for a program they do not use. Ending the additional 5-percentage-point FMAP bonus for late expansion states. "For too long, taxpayers in Wisconsin and other states that made a conservative choice to not fully expand Medicaid under Obamacare have been forced to subsidize a program they do not use. It’s time to address this unfair funding structure," said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald . "We must also address waste, fraud, and abuse within the program and ensure its long-term sustainability for those who need it most.” "Obamacare's Medicaid expansion perpetuates a scam in which states get seven times as much money from the federal government for able-bodied adults than the traditional Medicaid population including, pregnant women, children, disabled people, and the elderly,” said Congressman Chip Roy. BACKGROUND : In 2010, Obamacare mandated states expand Medicaid coverage to childless, able-bodied adults with incomes up to 133% of the FPL. Following a 2012 Supreme Court decision, states were rightfully allowed to choose whether to expand Medicaid. Wisconsin, along with nine other states, made a principled choice not to expand, curbing welfare dependency, preventing government overreach, and saving taxpayer money. Despite this, hardworking taxpayers in Wisconsin and other non-expansion states are being taken advantage of by being forced to subsidize a program they do not use while other states reap in billions of federal funding. Wisconsin uniquely uses BadgerCare Plus to provide health insurance to certain populations below 100% of the FPL. BadgerCare Plus is a highly regarded state-level program that saves federal tax dollars and provides low-income individuals with a safety net. Obamacare’s Federal Medicaid expansion is also harming the most vulnerable among us. Traditional Medicaid populations – the disabled, children, pregnant women, and seniors – are being kicked to the back of the line for care because states are incentivized to prioritize able-bodied adults compared to the traditional populations. This occurs because Obamacare’s enhanced FMAP results in states needing to pay 10% of care for able-bodied adults compared to 23-50% for the most vulnerable. The FMAP disparity has come at the expense of those who rely on critical Medicaid benefits, specifically disabled individuals and children. ###