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Addressing the affordability and availability of health insurance for Wisconsin farmers will be a major focus of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation's legislative agenda next year, according to Farm Bureau Executive Director of Public Relations Tom Thieding, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. A recent survey by the Farm Bureau found that 14% of Wisconsin farmers had no health insurance and that 17% of state farmers had only catastrophic coverage. The survey also found that about one-third of farmers or their spouses took off-farm jobs, often to obtain health coverage for their families. According to the survey, farmers who purchase their own health insurance pay almost twice as much in total out-of-pocket costs as farm families who are able to obtain coverage through an off-farm employer. According to Sabrina Gentile, director of government relations for the Farm Bureau, farmers have a particularly difficult time obtaining affordable health insurance because they often are self-employed, in their 50s and have occupations that insurance providers consider dangerous. Gentile said the organization is considering advocating a number of options for improving farmers' access to affordable health insurance, including changing the income formula for eligibility in the state's BadgerCare program and creating a state income tax deduction for money put into health savings accounts. The Farm Bureau also supports the Co-op Care initiative, which would establish purchasing pools to provide affordable group coverage for farmers and slow annual premium increases, the Journal Sentinel reports. In addition, the Farm Bureau is studying the Wisconsin Health Project, which would provide health insurance to every person in Wisconsin younger than age 65 and would be funded by a payroll tax on employers and employees. The program has not yet been authorized by the state Legislature. Farm Bureau President Bill Bruins at the group's annual conference this week is expected to announce the formation of a Farmers Care About Health Insurance task force, which will focus on studying different proposals and advocating health care reforms (Rinard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/3).
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