LARSON Weekly Report - March 1, 2012

WI State Senator Chris Larson

Dear Friend,

As the legislative session nears its conclusion, some bills are being held up in an attempt to gain partisan power, while others are being rushed through at an alarming rate. Such have been employed with legislation regarding our health safety net and our neighborhood schools. Continue reading for more information.

As usual, please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or opinions you may have about our community or our state.

Sincerely,

Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7
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Playing Games with Our Most Vulnerable
Legislation to remove the cap placed on FamilyCare received unanimous approval in the Senate on February 14, 2012. Unfortunately, Assembly Republicans continue to play games, which included attaching an amendment to this bill that simply seeks to comply with the order handed down by the federal government that the cap on Medicaid programs, including FamilyCare, be removed.

We are fast approaching the end of the current legislative session and are quickly running out of time to pass legislation to remove the cap. If Republicans are unwilling comply with the federal mandate and pass this bill, it will have to be reintroduced when the next legislative session begins in January 2013. This would mean turning our backs on our most vulnerable neighbors.

The Importance of Our Health Safety Net
Currently, about one out of five Wisconsin residents rely on our state's health safety net programs for their health care needs. The number of individuals enrolled in Wisconsin's Medicaid programs has been steadily increasing in recent years due to our state's ailing economy, continued loss of family-supporting jobs, and increased health care costs. Given the hardships our neighbors our facing, it is one of the worst times to consider any additional cuts to our health safety net.

FamilyCare is a bipartisan community-based, long-term care program that plays a vital role in Wisconsin’s health safety net. The program serves our state’s most vulnerable neighbors, including the elderly and individuals with disabilities, to enhance their health and quality of life.

As you may know, Governor Walker’s 2011-2013 Biennial Budget instituted a cap on the FamilyCare program. During the budget debate, my Democratic colleagues and I expressed our concerns about how family, friends and neighbors would suffer by being denied these life-saving services. Unfortunately, voices from across Wisconsin were once again ignored and the cap went into effect on July 1, 2011.

This past December, the federal government stepped in, ordering Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Legislature to pass legislation immediately in order to lift the caps on FamilyCare. As a result, Senate Bill 380 and Assembly Bill 477 were introduced. If the Legislature fails to pass Senate Bill 380 or Assembly Bill 477, Wisconsin will have to forfeit the $1.75 billion it is expected to receiving in matching federal funds for our Medicaid programs, including FamilyCare.

As a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 380 and Assembly Bill 477, I will continuing doing what I can to usher these bills through the legislative process. I will also continue to monitor the FamilyCare program to ensure that our family, friends, and neighbors receive the same level of coverage and quality of care once the cap has been removed.

Click here to view a copy of this legislation.

A Pattern of Assault
The full-scale attack on FamilyCare is not the first time that Governor Walker and his administration have put out a bounty on Wisconsin’s health safety net. In his backwards budget, Governor Walker cut nearly $500 million from our state’s Medicaid programs, which will have an especially devastating effect on our neighbors in Milwaukee County.

Notable health care cuts placed in the most recent biennial budget are listed below:
-- Only extends SeniorCare through 2012, bringing uncertainty to the long-term availability of the program, which is a cheaper option to Medicare Part D for our seniors and taxpayers.

-- Substantially restricts women's access to preventative health care, including: cancer screenings, pap tests, birth control and medical exams.

-- Reduces the eligibility and services for BadgerCare, which provides services to working families and had a wait-list of 50,000 Wisconsinites in June 2010.

The Governor continued his extreme agenda announcing an additional $554 million in cuts this past October. With these cuts, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) estimates that almost 65,000 Wisconsinites, including 30,000 pregnant women and children, will lose their current BadgerCare health care coverage.

Wisconsin's vital health care programs ensure that our families and neighbors are able to receive quality, affordable health care to prevent costly emergency room visits. These programs also help save valuable taxpayer dollars by keeping our loved ones in their own homes and active in their communities instead of placing them in nursing homes and in-patient facilities.