The Oneida County Board today (8/19) will consider whether to join 12 other Wisconsin counties to ask voters via an advisory referendum whether Wisconsin should accept Medicaid money through the Affordable Care Act. Lincoln county has approved a referendum and Chippewa county voted this week to also hold a referendum on the November ballot.
To date, the Walker administration has refused to accept money through Obamacare that would enable more Badgercare funds to help the poor have healthcare. Walker has said the money isn't there in Washington, D.C., given the federal budget deficit.
The Democrat hoping to defeat Governor Scott Walker this fall says her administration would act to improve health care by accepting the federal Medicaid money. During a Northwoods tour last week, Mary Burke says she would intend to take the money...
".....first and foremost I would accept the federal Medicaid money. This is our Wisconsin taxpayer money that goes to Washington. As Governor I want to fight to get every single dollar back. We know that by turning down the money, people still get sick. We're not getting money to pay for it......"
Burke says a key is getting young people good paying jobs to help their families and to be able to pay for health care. The Walker camp has said Burke lost jobs for Wisconsin when she was Commerce Secretary under Jim Doyle. Democrats respond Walker has not come anywhere near his job creation pledge and Wisconsin growth lags behind neighboring states.
