AB 604/SB 598: Medicaid Coverage Pilot for Incarcerated People

This bill would require Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services to ask the federal government for permission to start a pilot program that gives people in jail or prison access to certain health care before they’re released.
Specifically, it would let Medicaid cover case management, medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, and a 30-day supply of prescription medicine for up to 90 days before someone gets out – if they qualify for Medicaid.
The goal is to help people reenter the community with needed medical support and reduce relapse or overdose risk after release. If the federal government approves the waiver, Wisconsin’s Medicaid program would pay for these services using both state and federal funds. DHS must submit this waiver request by January 1, 2027.