Hannah Picchiottino, a health care advocate from Community Advocates, Inc. is working with the MATC Student Life Department to help students obtain BadgerCare Plus health insurance and FoodShare. BadgerCare Plus provides access to health insurance for children, their families and pregnant women.

Parents or caretakers may qualify for BadgerCare if they make less than 200% of the federal poverty level, which is $36,620 per year for a family of three.

Pregnant women can also enroll in BadgerCare to have their prenatal doctor visits and the delivery covered.

Once the baby is born, both the baby and parent(s) can be enrolled into BadgerCare Plus for Children and Families.

Picchiottino said that any child under the age of 19 is eligible to apply for BadgerCare Plus, regardless of the parents’ income.
For students who do not have children many could apply for the BadgerCare Plus Core program for adults with no dependent children.

This new program provides basic health insurance coverage for childless adults who were uninsured, have not had access to health insurance during the past year or who had been laid off.

The health insurance, with small co-pays, covers visits to a primary care doctor, emergency room and hospital visits, some prescriptions and other services.

However, due to budgeting limitations in Wisconsin, Governor Doyle suspended BadgerCare Plus Core enrollment as of Friday, October 9.

Now, students can still complete an application for BadgerCare Plus Core, but they will be placed on a waiting list.Governor Doyle has also announced that he is working with the Wisconsin State Legislature to create a basic, low-premium health care plan for those on the Core waiting list, promising to announce more details in the following months.

Anyone who has a current BadgerCare or FoodShare case will not be affected by these changes, Picchiottino emphasized.

Those who applied for the BadgerCare Plus Core program prior to the October 9, 2009, cut off date and paid the $60 application fee will have their application processed and will be enrolled into the BadgerCare Plus Core program if they are
eligible.

Students should consider applying for FoodShare as well. FoodShare, formerly known as food stamps, provides eligible students with a debit-type card, called a QUEST card, to use at grocery stores when purchasing food.

Each month, FoodShare recipients will have a certain amount of money placed on their QUEST card to use to purchase food.

Eligibility for the FoodShare program is calculated based on income, housing and utility expenses. Students may be eligible for FoodShare if they make less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or $1,734 gross income per month, for an individual.

One unique rule for FoodShare is that if a student is going to school part time or more, they must also be working 20 hours a week, caring for a young child or be receiving federal/state work study.

If a student is going to school less than part time, this work requirement does not apply.

Picchiottino encourages students interested in applying for these programs to schedule an appointment with her to discuss these programs further, complete an application and submit all required verification.

“Working with an advocate is a benefit when enrolling in these programs,” said Picchiottino.

“I will spend the time it takes to make sure you understand these programs, assist you with the entire application process and answer questions you might have after you have received benefits.”

Picchiottino focuses on educating the public about BadgerCare Plus and FoodShare and enrolling clients into the programs.

Since May 2009, Picchiottino provides information about these programs and enrolls students at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

She is also at the MATC West Allis Campus once a month and visits other sites throughout Milwaukee County.

Picchiottino wants students to know about the available programs, talk with her and consider enrolling if they think they may eligible

Community Advocates, located on the corner of 49th Street and Fond du Lac Avenue, is a non-profit organization which offers basic needs assistance to family and individuals.

Community Advocates assists clients with not only health care needs, but also offers utility assistance, housing advocacy, homeless outreach and other basic needs services.

Students can find more detailed information about these programs at www.dhs.wi.gov and can apply online at www.access.wisconsin.gov.

To set up an appointment with Picchiottino, students should stop by the PACE office, Room M326 on the third floor of the Main Building at the MATC Downtown Milwaukee Campus.