Assembly Republican Budget Ignores Health Care Crisis; Insurance Companies Big Winners, Public Loses
GOP Tells Wisconsin ‘Our Health Care is Too Good for You’
Madison – State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) said he was “deeply disappointed” the secret Assembly Budget scheme released today did nothing to reduce skyrocketing health care cost hikes or help the nearly 500,000 Wisconsinites without health care, instead providing insurance and drug companies incentives to raise costs.
“The Assembly Republicans have chosen insurance and drug companies over the people of Wisconsin,” said Erpenbach, Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair. “The Senate Democrats’ ‘Healthy Wisconsin’ plan saves billions of dollars and provides Wisconsin residents the opportunity to access the same high-quality health care the Assembly Republicans enjoy.”
Assembly Republicans, who emerged with a budget after numerous closed-door meetings, rewarded insurance companies and out-of-state drug manufacturers with their inaction on health care reform. The Assembly budget ignores cost savings efforts, but manages to include Health Savings Accounts, which act as tax shelters for those few wealthy enough to put away money for future illness.
“Reckless profiteering for drug and insurance companies will have a home in Wisconsin as long as the Republicans run the Assembly,” said Erpenbach. “The Assembly budget does nothing to reduce health care costs and is a right-wing grab bag that includes everything but a full pardon of Scooter Libby.”
The Senate Democrats’ “Healthy Wisconsin” plan ensures all Wisconsin residents and employees will be provided health care with the doctor and provider of their choice, regardless of preexisting conditions. A payroll deduction similar to Social Security of $370 a month for the average employer and $140 for the average employee will be used to pay for coverage. Current employer and employee health care costs would fall by $3 billion in just the first year under “Healthy Wisconsin.”
“Every corner of the state wins with ‘Healthy Wisconsin’ from $1.3 billion in savings in property tax relief to lower health care costs for Wisconsin families, businesses and local governments,” said Erpenbach. “If you work hard, pay taxes and play by the rules, it’s wrong for you to go without decent affordable health care.”
Erpenbach said Senate Democrats look forward to getting “Healthy Wisconsin” to the Governor’s desk. He added the Senate Health and Human Services Committee would be holding additional hearings around the state in the coming weeks, including an informational hearing at the Capitol this Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. featuring supportive testimony from former Governor Tommy Thompson’s Department of Health and Family Services Secretary Joe Leean and Stanford University health care expert Alain Enthoven.
