But the Affordable Care Act, with its deductibles and co-pays, was never meant for the poor on state Medicaid programs like Badgercare.
Walker is building his strong "father figure" image on discipline, and ironically, an odd form of government mandated freedom that comes from his stern "leadership." Is it any wonder why, "I'm giving you freedom" rings hollow to the poor who can't even afford that.
Remember when Wisconsin was a leader in insuring more state residents than other states? Kiss that goodbye after only 2 and a half years:
Cap Times: By a wide margin, Wisconsin would remove more low income people fromMedicaid than any other state as part of a plan advanced by Gov. Scott Walker still awaiting federal approval.
Kaiser Health News reports that about 92,000 people in Wisconsin — 87,000 parents and 5,000 more childless adults with incomes above the federal poverty level. Wisconsin (plans) to add 100,000 childless adults with incomes below the poverty level to Medicaid, which Walker officials say makes it a fair trade-off.
It’s not supposed to be a zero sum game, it was supposed to EXPAND the number of people WITH health care. Republicans again couldn't help themselves from carelessly doing just the opposite.
It also includes a response from Donna Friedsam, health policy program director at UW-Madison. “The products designed for the marketplace were never designed for people in these low-income categories," Friedsam told Kaiser. "Even with the federal subsidies, the cost sharing will still be quite onerous."
Biz Times Milwaukee also quotes several Wisconsin officials on the Kaiser report.
I recently attended a training on the Affordable Health Care Act. Open enrollment starts on October 1st and you can access that at www.Healthcare.gov.
ReplyDeleteWisconsin has declined to work with the program so we defaulted to the Federal Government for the healthcare exchanges....for those who need coverage. In some ways I'm thankful that a person like Walker won't have his hands in there to mess it up, like everything else he's touched.
What was really sad was the statistics. The Medicaid Expansion dollars(money that the Wisconsin taxpayers pay into the Federal Government)would have covered anyone 19-64 years of age making $15,282.00 a year as an individual or $31,322.00 a year for a family of 4. The Federal Government would have paid 100% of the costs to cover these Wisconsinites from 2014-2016 and would cover them for 90% of the costs after that, with the state picking up the remaining 10%.
I know and work with many people that the Medicaid expansion would have covered including my brother who works two jobs and hasn't seen a doctor for many years. I don't know many people that have jobs paying over $100,000 like the ones Scott Walker gives away to his cronies for following orders and keeping their mouths shut.
So I'm angry. I'm angry about the people that watch Fox and listen and believe the lies Republican's spout on Obamacare...the facts are out there at the website above.
I'm angry that Scott Walker signed the death warrants for thousands of Wisconsinites because he wants to be the TeaBagger President. I'm even angrier that many of my fellow Wisconsinites cheer him on in the killing of their neighbors. (And make no mistake, that's exactly what they're doing) Being the "pro-life Christians" they are. The Jesus I follow would surely denounce Walker and his followers. Christ was all about the poor, sick, and downtrodden and didn't hang around much with the Koch types.
And I'm extremely angry that Wisconsin taxpayers continue to pay Federal taxes, when Walker turns around and gives our money away to other states. Wisconsin used to pay in $1.36 for every dollar we got back, what is it now, $5.00?
Shame.