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Farm Bureau revives effort to bring lower-cost health plans to Wisconsin

Photo: Brad Olson and Jason Mugnaini from Wisconsin Farm Bureau testify at the Capitol in favor of Farm Bureau Health Plans during a 2024 hearing.

Wisconsin Farm Bureau is reviving its efforts to bring another health care option to its members.

Farm Bureau Health Plans are an option families can use instead of traditional health insurance to pay for medical expenses.  Wisconsin lobbied unsuccessfully in the last legislative session to change state law so the Farm Bureau plans could be used.  Now, Assembly Bill 448 and Senate Bill 450, have been introduced to support a rule change that would allow Farm Bureau Health Plans to move forward in Wisconsin.

State Farm Bureau President Brad Olson says WFBF is asking for a one-off exception from state insurance regulation to allow an existing model, offered only by state Farm Bureaus, to be permitted to operate in Wisconsin. He says Farm Bureau is uniquely positioned to provide benefits to people who don’t have employer sponsored coverage and may typically be income ineligible for federal incentives under the Affordable Care Act. 

The bill was introduced in the State Assembly on September 19^th and referred to the Committee on Insurance.  The companion bill was introduced in the State Senate Monday and referred to the Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.

Tennessee was the first state to offer Farm Bureau Health Plans and fourteen other states have adopted similar legislative initiatives or are trying to get lawmakers to allow the plans.  Farm Bureau says their members have seen premiums between 30 and 60 percent lower than comparable unsubsidized plans offered now. Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and South Dakota already offer similar health benefits through their state Farm Bureaus.  Michigan offers traditional health insurance through its agents.

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