Pandemic relief for FoodShare (Wisconsin food stamps) and BadgerCare (Medicaid) has ended, as of March 1, 2023. This means that recipients of both programs need to pay close attention to what the changes are and how they will affect their families. The Fond du Lac County Health and Well-Being Educator and the FoodWIse program has provided valuable resources throughout the local community to help those working with recipients of these programs receive assistance, if needed. This information has been shared with local food pantries, hot meal programs, food assistance programs, senior meal sites, and social service organizations in Fond du Lac County. In addition, resources have been broadly shared on social media. The state FoodWIse program created videos in English, Spanish, and Hmong to explain the FoodShare benefits changes, and a local county fact sheet was created for Fond du Lac County. 

Changes to benefits of BadgerCare places temporary policies established during the pandemic with regular eligibility, enrollment, and benefits management processes. 1.6 million are currently enrolled in the program, half of which are children. The Urban Institute has estimated that 309,000 in Wisconsin could lose eligibility due to the upcoming changes. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has an Unwinding Partner Toolkit designed to give partners communication tools to help members navigate the changes to BadgerCare (https://dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/unwindingtoolkit.htm.) Covering Wisconsin has a variety of print and social media resources in English and Spanish, as well as free webinars, to discuss the changes to BadgerCare (https://coveringwi.org/toolkit). Covering Wisconsin also includes health insurance navigators that can assist with enrollment. BadgerCare recipients are encouraged to call United Way’s 211 or visit www.WisCovered.com.