WisconsinWisconsin requires waiver request for prerelease health coverage
Wisconsin law requires its health department to seek federal approval by January 1, 2027, for certain health coverage before eligible people leave incarceration.
What it does
The health department must seek federal approval for a project offering eligible people care before release, including case management, substance use treatment, and prescription medicines. Coverage depends on what federal officials approve.
Argument forEligible people nearing release could get help managing care, treatment for substance use, and prescription medicines before they leave.
Argument againstEligible people may not receive the requested care if federal officials reject the waiver or approve only some services.
More detail
The Department of Health Services must ask federal officials for a waiver to run a project offering health coverage before release. The request covers incarcerated people who otherwise qualify for Medical Assistance. People must otherwise qualify for Medical Assistance. If federal officials approve all or part of the waiver, the department must reimburse the approved services under Medical Assistance, including the federal and state shares. The department must submit its waiver request by January 1, 2027. The project may cover services for up to 90 days before a person's release.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 9Published 4-9-2026Latest
- Apr 9Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-8-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 233Became Law
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 25Report correctly enrolled on 3-25-2026Minor
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded CONCURRENCE. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1Passed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Vote recorded Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 16Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Feb 25Available for scheduling
- Feb 25Read first time and referred to committee on Senate OrganizationMinor
- Feb 23Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 19Read a third time and passedPassed Assembly
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Representative Moore Omokunde added as a coauthor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 19Senator Larson added as a cosponsor
- Feb 19Representative Phelps added as a coauthor
- Feb 19Made a special order of business at 9:30 PM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 15
- Feb 16Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 9Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
- Feb 4Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention, Ayes 10, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Report passage recommended by Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention, Ayes 10, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 3Executive action taken
- 2025
- Nov 21Representative Subeck added as a coauthor
- Nov 18Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Nov 14Representative Palmeri added as a coauthor
- Nov 13Representative Andraca added as a coauthor
- Nov 5Representatives Madison, Vining and Clancy added as coauthors
- Nov 5Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
- Nov 4Public hearing held
- Nov 4Representative Kirsch added as a coauthor
- Oct 31Representative Melotik added as a coauthor
- Oct 30Representative Brill added as a coauthor
- Oct 29Read first time and referred to Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse PreventionMinor
- Oct 29Introduced by Representatives Moses, Stubbs, Anderson, DeSmidt, Dittrich, Emerson, Hurd, Joers, Kitchens, Kurtz, Mayadev, Novak, Ortiz-Velez, Piwowarczyk, Sheehan, Sinicki, Snyder, Steffen, Stroud, Tenorio, Tucker, Udell, Wittke and Rodriguez; cosponsored by Senators James, Marklein, Keyeski, L. Johnson, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Ratcliff, Roys, Smith, Wimberger and SpreitzerIntroduced
Healthcare