MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers wrapped up a week-long tour of local health facilities in communities across the state, where he met with providers and highlighted investments made in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget to support Wisconsin’s healthcare industry and ensure Wisconsinites have access to quality, affordable healthcare. Throughout the week, Gov. Evers discussed how Wisconsin’s bipartisan budget works to safeguard Wisconsinites from recent federal cuts to Medicaid and other basic needs programs that kids, families, seniors, veterans, and farmers depend upon every day.
“As Wisconsin’s kids, families, and seniors face Republicans’ devastating cuts to Medicaid and programs that provide basic necessities like food, I’m proud our bipartisan state budget works to ensure Wisconsinites can access quality, affordable healthcare, especially in our rural communities. It was great to visit health clinics this past week to highlight our budget investments and hear about their good work to help make sure Wisconsinites can get the care they need,” said Gov. Evers. “Whether it’s providing $1.1 billion to support healthcare access, continuing critical funding for BadgerCare, or providing increased funding for free and charitable clinics, my administration will continue working to protect Wisconsinites’ access to quality, affordable healthcare across our state.”
Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs are an essential part of the state’s healthcare system and economy. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs provide coverage to 20 percent of Wisconsinites, which accounts for approximately 1 million Wisconsinites, and cover 40 percent of births, 40 percent of kids, and 60 percent of people in nursing homes.
Last month, President Trump quickly signed the budget reconciliation bill that severely scales back several basic needs programs to pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, including a roughly $911 billion cut to Medicaid. Additionally, this bill increases red tape for FoodShare and Medicaid members and will force 270,000 Wisconsinites to lose their health insurance coverage. These cuts to Medicaid will also severely jeopardize rural hospitals across the nation, including in Wisconsin, where the state’s hospitals are projected to lose over $264 million each year. More information on how the federal reconciliation bill will impact healthcare access and coverage in Wisconsin is available here.
In preparation for the passing of the new federal reconciliation bill, Gov. Evers worked to secure investments in Wisconsin’s 2025-27 Biennial Budget to bolster the state’s hospitals, health centers, industry partners, and providers, and expand access to high-quality healthcare across the state.
Gov. Evers believes healthcare should not be a privilege afforded only to the healthy and the wealthy. No one should ever have to choose between life-saving medication and care or putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head. Wisconsinites should be able to get the healthcare they need when and where they need it, and without breaking the bank. The final 2025-27 Biennial Budget makes historic investments to support Wisconsin’s healthcare industry, including:
- Over $1.1 billion to support healthcare access, especially in rural communities;
- Continuing funding for BadgerCare;
- Over $53 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care, obstetrics, private duty nursing, residential opioid treatment, and home health services, and more;
- Fully funding the minimum fee schedule implemented by the Department of Health Services last biennium to help long-term care facilities avoid staffing cuts and closures;
- $1.5 million in increased funding over the biennium for free and charitable clinics;
- $7 million to support crisis intervention through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline;
- $2 million to support the WisCaregiver Career Program to help address the state’s shortage of certified nursing assistants and direct care professionals; and
- $3.8 million to support Aging and Disability Resource Centers across the state, among many other critical provisions.
Gov. Evers also exercised his broad, constitutional veto authority to partially veto aspects of the budget that were outside of the bipartisan budget negotiations. More information about the bipartisan budget signed by Gov. Evers is available here.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM GOV. EVERS’ HEALTHCARE TRAVEL
On Tues., Aug. 5, Gov. Evers and DHS Secretary Johnson visited the Chippewa Valley Free Clinic in Eau Claire. During the visit, the governor and secretary toured the facility and highlighted grant increases for free and charitable clinics (FCCs) included in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget. FCCs play an essential role in ensuring healthcare access for all by helping Wisconsinites overcome barriers such as geography, income, and insurance status. The Chippewa Valley Free Clinic received $75,000 in state grants to FCCs in fiscal year (FY) 2024-2025. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Following this, Gov. Evers and Secretary Johnson visited St. Clare Health Mission in La Crosse. The governor and secretary toured the facility and heard about how the clinic used $50,000 in state grants to support FCCs, continuing their good work to make sure all Wisconsinites have access to healthcare. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
On Thurs., Aug. 7, Gov. Evers and Secretary Johnson visited the Brown County Oral Health Partnership in Green Bay. During the visit, the governor and secretary toured the facility and continued to discuss the grant increases for FCCs included in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget. Brown County Oral Health Partnership received $50,000 in FCC grants in FY 2024-2025. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Finally, Gov. Evers and Secretary Johnson visited the Bridge Community Health Clinic in Wausau. The governor and secretary toured the facility and heard about their good work as a Federally Qualified Health Center to remove barriers to healthcare and support Wisconsinites in need, regardless of insurance status. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
In recognition of the steadfast efforts of the state’s community health centers to provide underserved communities with high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive care, Gov. Evers declared Aug. 3-9, 2025, as “National Health Center Week” across the state of Wisconsin. The governor’s National Health Center Week proclamation is available here.
An online version of this release is available here.
