Dear Honorable Governor Tony Evers:
On behalf of over 700 people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Wisconsin, we write to thank you for fully funding the Wisconsin Chronic Disease Program (WCDP) and Wisconsin Medicaid in the 2023-2025 biennial budget. These programs play a critical role in promoting the health and well-being of Wisconsinites with CF by filling gaps in coverage and helping ensure access to care and treatments.
About Cystic Fibrosis & the CF Foundation
Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects close to 40,000 children and adults in the United States. CF causes the body to produce thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and digestive system, which can lead to life-threatening infections. As a complex, multi-system condition, CF requires targeted, specialized treatment and medications. For those with CF, health care coverage is a necessity, and interruptions in coverage can lead to lapses in care, irreversible lung damage, and costly hospitalizations — compromising the health and well-being of those with the disease.
As the world’s leader in the search for a cure for CF and an organization dedicated to ensuring access to high-quality, specialized CF care, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation accredits more than 130 care centers nationally, including 7 in Wisconsin, that provide multidisciplinary, specialized care in accordance with clinical practice guidelines. As experts in CF care, the CF Foundation and our care centers understand the need for access to adequate, affordable health coverage, including through programs like Medicaid and the WCDP.
The Wisconsin Chronic Disease Program (WCDP)
We are grateful that the SFY 2023-2025 biennial budget provides adequate funding for the WCDP to preserve existing eligibility criteria and covered services. The WCDP is a state-run program that houses the Adult Cystic Fibrosis (ACF) Program and helps people living with CF afford the high cost of their care. People with CF rely on an intensive treatment regimen and often struggle to pay for their care. The ACF Program helps ensure people with CF can get the health care they need by filling in gaps left by other forms of insurance. For instance, the program pays for services like prescriptions and doctor’s visits, helping adults with CF access critical medication and services needed to maintain their health.
Wisconsin Medicaid
Medicaid is also a crucial source of coverage for people with CF, and we thank you for ensuring the SFY 2023-2025 biennial budget preserves existing Medicaid funding, eligibility, and benefits. Nearly half of all children and a fourth of adults living with CF in Wisconsin depend on Medicaid for some or all of their health care needs. Medicaid plays an important role in helping people with CF afford the specialized care and treatments they need to stay healthy and, for many with CF, it fills coverage gaps in private insurance that would otherwise leave patients with unsustainable out-of-pocket costs.
The WCDP and Wisconsin Medicaid both play a critical role in promoting the health and well-being of Wisconsinites with CF. Thank you for funding these programs and for keeping the needs of people with CF in mind when forming the SFY 2023-2025 biennial budget.