Wednesday, 21 February 2007
Group Health Insurance for Wisconsin Farmers
18% of Wisconsin farmers don’t have health insurance. 41% can’t afford to cover their entire family. But a new group health plan is changing that. Farmers’ Health Cooperative of Wisconsin will give farmers and agricultural workers affordable access to comprehensive health insurance.
Group health insurance was previously unavailable for farmers, who had to buy more individual health insurance. And farmers’ spouses had to find work off the farm strictly for insurance purposes.
With the Farmers’ Health Cooperative, farmers will be able to get individual and family health plans choosing from a range of deductibles — ranging from $500 to $5,000. They’ll also get needed coverage for workplace injuries, along with covered preventive care and prescription drugs.
But the Cooperative warns that the new group health plan isn’t necessarily a cheaper alternative — it’s a more comprehensive alternative, providing farmers with better health insurance benefits for similar rates.
“We are not going to misrepresent this. It is not bargain basement health care,” said Bill Oemichen, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. “It’s a very, very competitive plan.”
The group health plan for farmers had been planned for 3 years. State law changes in 2003 helped initiate the program. This year, Democratic U.S. Senator Herb Kohl and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle were able to secure $4.4 million in Federal funding for the program.
“People are waiting in the agricultural community for an option like this that will provide the health care they deserve,” said Wisconsin dairy farmer, Sandi Cihlar.
Farmers, agricultural workers, and their families will be able to enroll in the group plan starting April 1st.
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