| Contact Your State Legislators Today & Ask Them to Sign Onto the BadgerCare Protection Act! |
| February 28, 2012 |
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Bill to protect health care for 64,000 families to be unveiled tomorrow
BadgerCare enrollees to share personal stories at State Capitol event
Madison—A plan by the Walker administration to drop health care for 64,000 families, including more than 29,000 children, would be stopped under a bill to be unveiled tomorrow at the State Capitol by Rep. Jon Richards, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, BadgerCare enrollees and health care advocates.
The BadgerCare Protection Act would stop the state Department of Health Services from implementing changes to BadgerCare that would result in tens of thousands of Wisconsinites losing state health care coverage. The bill is funded by repealing some of the corporate tax giveaways that were included in Gov. Walker’s budget.
What: Announcement of the BadgerCare Protection Act
When: Tuesday, February 28, 11:45 a.m.
Where: Senate Parlor, State Capitol
Who: Rep. Jon Richards, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, BadgerCare enrollees and advocates
Bill to protect health care for 64,000 families to be unveiled tomorrow
BadgerCare enrollees to share personal stories at State Capitol event
Madison—A plan by the Walker administration to drop health care for 64,000 families, including more than 29,000 children, would be stopped under a bill to be unveiled tomorrow at the State Capitol by Rep. Jon Richards, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, BadgerCare enrollees and health care advocates.
The BadgerCare Protection Act would stop the state Department of Health Services from implementing changes to BadgerCare that would result in tens of thousands of Wisconsinites losing state health care coverage. The bill is funded by repealing some of the corporate tax giveaways that were included in Gov. Walker’s budget.
What: Announcement of the BadgerCare Protection Act
When: Tuesday, February 28, 11:45 a.m.
Where: Senate Parlor, State Capitol
Who: Rep. Jon Richards, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, BadgerCare enrollees and advocates
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
HHS Regional Director Ken Munson and DHS Secretary Dennis Smith and Inspector General Alan White Join the Conference
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We’re also excited to welcome Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee), Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) and Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) to join us for a timely discussion called “Health Reform Exchanges in Wisconsin: Contrasting Viewpoints.”
Our popular legislative panel is also back this year and will include legislators representing both sides of the aisle! Confirmed speakers include Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay), Rep. Brett Hulsey (D-Madison), Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), and Rep. Helen Roys (D-Madison). We also welcome Wisconsin’s Legislative Audit Bureau to discuss the recently completed Medicaid Audit. CLICK HERE for our attached working agenda for the conference.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
My, My, My What a Tangled Web We Weave!
http://www.htrnews.com/article/20120209/MAN0101/302100049/1358&located=rss
UPDATED
MADISON — The cost of new legislation, a substantial reduction in tax revenues and a series of outstanding debts has the state facing a budget shortfall of more than $143 million in 2013.
An analysis of the state's budget released Thursday by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says lower-than-expected tax revenues generated by employment, consumption and home sales have hit Wisconsin hard, costing state coffers more than $272.8 million.
I thought the first item listed summed it up perfectly. "The cost of new legislation" The voter ID bill was estimated to cost 6 million to implement, it was an unnecessary bill that wasted taxpayer money. That's only one of the many useless bills that should not have passed. What will happen next is even more will be cut from programs to help the less fortunate in WI. This admin. will continue to take it out on those that can least afford it, they'll do it because they can.
UPDATED
MADISON — Wisconsin will use about $26 million of its $140 million share of a national mortgage settlement to help plug a state budget hole.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s office made the decision in consultation with Gov. Scott Walker.
The rest of Wisconsin’s share will go toward helping homeowners who were affected by foreclosure abuses between 2008 and 2011.
Walker said at a news conference Thursday that just like communities and individuals affected by the foreclosure crisis, the state has also been harmed and the payment will go toward offsetting that.
But Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a story published Friday (http://tiny.cc/r18r1) that none of the money should go toward the state budget.
A new projection shows the state faces a $143 million budget shortfall.
UPDATED
MADISON — The cost of new legislation, a substantial reduction in tax revenues and a series of outstanding debts has the state facing a budget shortfall of more than $143 million in 2013.
An analysis of the state's budget released Thursday by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says lower-than-expected tax revenues generated by employment, consumption and home sales have hit Wisconsin hard, costing state coffers more than $272.8 million.
I thought the first item listed summed it up perfectly. "The cost of new legislation" The voter ID bill was estimated to cost 6 million to implement, it was an unnecessary bill that wasted taxpayer money. That's only one of the many useless bills that should not have passed. What will happen next is even more will be cut from programs to help the less fortunate in WI. This admin. will continue to take it out on those that can least afford it, they'll do it because they can.
UPDATED
MADISON — Wisconsin will use about $26 million of its $140 million share of a national mortgage settlement to help plug a state budget hole.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s office made the decision in consultation with Gov. Scott Walker.
The rest of Wisconsin’s share will go toward helping homeowners who were affected by foreclosure abuses between 2008 and 2011.
Walker said at a news conference Thursday that just like communities and individuals affected by the foreclosure crisis, the state has also been harmed and the payment will go toward offsetting that.
But Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a story published Friday (http://tiny.cc/r18r1) that none of the money should go toward the state budget.
A new projection shows the state faces a $143 million budget shortfall.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tell Your BadgerCare or Medicaid Story!
Why is BadgerCare or Medicaid important to you and your family? What would happen if BadgerCare or Medicaid ended? CLICK HERE to complete a story form!
NEW Medicaid Budget Numbers from Fiscal Bureau
Why is BadgerCare or Medicaid important to you and your family? What would happen if BadgerCare or Medicaid ended? CLICK HERE to complete a story form!
NEW Medicaid Budget Numbers from Fiscal Bureau
After Governor Walker and Department of Health Services Secretary Dennis Smith announced new adjustments to the Medicaid budget numbers, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a report this week saying the budget deficit for the Medicaid program is $141 million. (Originally, in a related letter dated December 30, 2011, Smith informed the Joint Finance Committee that new budget numbers indicate that he overstated his initial projection of $554.4 million in savings required to balance the Medicaid budget and the projected budget deficits totaled less that $232 million dollars, a drop of over $300 million.
Finding Fraud in Wisconsin Medicaid
Rep. Andy Jorgensen asked if DHS would commit to annual LAB audits, but neither Smith nor his Deputy Kitty Rhoades agreed to the idea at the hearing.
Fraud isn’t the only issue here. The Audit Report also showed that DHS has some serious budgeting issues. In the last year, Medicaid deficits have bounced from $553 million to $223 million, and now $141 million. At the same time, DHS engineered a waiver proposal that would affect the lives of tens of thousands of Wisconsin citizens. “They’re just guessing,” says Peterson, “and the people of Wisconsin deserve more accurate budget numbers for their health care programs.”
Click Here to read the HealthWatch Reporter on the topic of the Medicaid Audit Report.
Other concerns noted by some members of the Joint Audit Committee was fraud, something that DHS has recently become quite fervent about combating. Rep. Samantha Kerkman, the Committee’s Assembly Co-Chair, mentioned anecdotal evidence of people coming up from Illinois and using Wisconsin programs.
In fact, the Audit Report revealed an almost negligible amount of fraud against Wisconsin’s Medicaid system by program participants. “We agree that the State should combat fraud,” said Bobby Peterson, Executive Director of ABC for Health in his testimony at the public hearing, “but we disagree about what fraud needs to be combated. DHS never produced an evidence base to justify hiring all of these fraud investigators to go after beneficiaries.” Peterson asked just how fraud investigations would proceed in the jurisdictions of the committee members, asking, "Is this a DHS-sponsored witch hunt for fraud?" Peterson specifically focused his comments on fraud related to program beneficiaries.Rep. Andy Jorgensen asked if DHS would commit to annual LAB audits, but neither Smith nor his Deputy Kitty Rhoades agreed to the idea at the hearing.
Fraud isn’t the only issue here. The Audit Report also showed that DHS has some serious budgeting issues. In the last year, Medicaid deficits have bounced from $553 million to $223 million, and now $141 million. At the same time, DHS engineered a waiver proposal that would affect the lives of tens of thousands of Wisconsin citizens. “They’re just guessing,” says Peterson, “and the people of Wisconsin deserve more accurate budget numbers for their health care programs.”
Click Here to read the HealthWatch Reporter on the topic of the Medicaid Audit Report.
The Medicaid Audit's Public Hearing
Six weeks after the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) released its long-anticipated Medicaid Audit Report, the Joint Committee on Audit met today to hear the LAB's findings for the first time. Unfortunately, there was no live broadcast of the hearing, as was previously announced, but video coverage will be available on WisconsinEye shortly. The LAB power point is also available online, and can be found here.
The Audit Report revealed a disturbing lack of contract oversight by the Department of Health Service (DHS), which DHS did not argue. Secretary Dennis Smith presented on behalf of DHS and described "passionate agreement" with most of the audit recommendations. Smith also commented on the return of the $38 million Early Innovator funding to build a health exchange in Wisconsin by the Walker Administration. He lauded the decision, claiming that the Federal government was micromanaging the exchange implementation under the grant. Smith claimed federal officials micromanaged the process and cited as an example that regulators wanted too many details like the resumes of Exchange Board members. He concluded that he envisioned an Exchange that resembled a Dane County farmer’s market in simplicity and regulation. The government created the "roads and sidewalks" and allows the market to flourish and provide choice for consumers. (Editor's note: Anyone who's ever tried to set up a table at the farmer's market can testify that it is not a regulation-free zone.)
Legislators and DHS Secretary Headline the HealthWatch Conference
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We’re also excited to welcome Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee), Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) and Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) to join us for a timely discussion called “Health Reform Exchanges in Wisconsin: Contrasting Viewpoints.”
Our popular legislative panel is also back this year and will include legislators representing both sides of the aisle! Confirmed speakers include Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay), Rep. Brett Hulsey (D-Madison), Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), and Rep. Helen Roys (D-Madison). We also expect a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services representative to speak to Wisconsin’s health reform implementation efforts. We also welcome Wisconsin’s Legislative Audit Bureau to discuss the recently completed Medicaid Audit. CLICK HERE for our attached working agenda for the conference.
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