Several Northwoods counties are among those hosting an advisory question on next month's ballot about whether the state should accept federal money to help pay for Badgercare.
The Walker administration has not accepted the money saying with the federal budget deficit, the money could be taken away leaving the state to pick up the costs.
Advocates of taking the money say the funds would cut everyone's insurance rates. One of those advocates is Kevin Kane from the progressive-leaning Citizen Action of Wisconsin. He will be in Rhinelander Wednesday(10/22) to talk about the referendums....
“….Oneida. Lincoln, Florence and Iron counties, all over the state, north, south east and west. We’ll be talking about why they have the (question) why it matters, and why the issue of Badgercare has become one of the most important issues going into the November election…”
Only 20 governments across the state put the question about accepting the federal money on the November 4 ballot, but Kane says that covers about half of the state's population.
Citizen Action recently released a report comparing Wisconsin's insurance rates versus Minnesota's where they took the Obamacare money for Badgercare. A state spokesperson angrily denounced the Citizen Action report, saying they weren't comparing apples to apples as he says Wisconsin's latest numbers will be released a few days after the election. But Kane says from his view, not taking the money means people here pay more than other states...
“….we can be making money so our citizens have access to affordable coverage with dollars our Wisconsin taxpayers have already paid. And we can already tell this issue has made everyone else pay more for private health insurance…”
Kane will be speaking at the Guild Hall of St. Augustine's Church at 39 South Pelham in Rhinelander at one p.m.
The meeting is open to the public.
