During a recent debate, Mitchell Berman admitted that Medicaid funding has increased by $1 billion in Wisconsin this year.  After being confronted, Berman admitted that recent changes to law is “Increasing the funding [for Medicaid] by a billion dollars,” despite making false claims otherwise. 

“Mitchell Berman continues to mislead Wisconsin families and only admits the truth when confronted live on air. The fact is Wisconsin Medicaid funding increased. Steil forced Berman to acknowledge his lies on air in front of voters and Berman still tries to cover up his own misleading attacks. Berman will say or do anything to get elected to Congress, Wisconsin families deserve better,” said a Steil Campaign Spokesman.

Berman has acknowledged that he would have voted against the federal legislation that, alongside the state budget and a recent proposed-CMS rule, allowed for this increase. 

“He doesn’t want to agree because he knows darn well [federal medicaid funding] increased by a billion dollars and his ads are a lie,” Steil said during the debate.

Watch the exchange here:

Background: 

  • Following the passage of HR 1, the state budget, and a new CMS rule, Wisconsin’s Medicaid funding is increasing.
    • The State Fiscal Bureau denotes an estimated $1.2 billion increase in federal Medicaid funds.
      • This is a historic funding increase and historic funding levels for Wisconsin.
      • Wisconsin is already receiving this new federal funding increase.
        • During the 2025 FY, Wisconsin received what’s called a preprint; approval of Wisconsin’s increased provider tax rate for that calendar year and the relevant matching federal Medicaid funding. 
    • This was due to provisions in H.R 1 that allowed Wisconsin, due to its status as an ACA non-expansion state and the nature of its state Medicaid payment structure, to qualify for additional federal funding from these changes.
      • Steil and his Republican Colleagues in the House advocated for the language in HR 1 that allowed Wisconsin to receive and maintain this increase in federal funding. 
      • He also worked closely with state legislators and members of the Republican Delegation to ensure that the agency rulemaking codified congressional intent as drafted in HR 1.
  • Rep. Steil also worked to institute reforms in H.R. 1 that protect and strengthen Medicaid.
    • These reforms include work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults to work, look for work, go to school, or volunteer at least 20 hours per week to receive taxpayer funded benefits. 
    • The reforms instituted by H.R. 1 will save taxpayers $317 billion over the next ten years.
    • Wisconsin has a history of successfully implementing work requirements for able-bodied childless adults dating back to the work reforms under the Thompson administration.
    • Wisconsin voters supported these work requirements, with 80% of families voting in favor. 
    • Reforms also strengthened eligibility integrity measures to help remove deceased individuals, duplicate enrollees, and individuals who are ineligible for federal programs like Medicaid, including illegal immigrants. 
  • Medicaid remains fully protected for those the program was designed to serve: pregnant women, children, and disabled Americans.