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Oneida Bd. To Consider Medicaid Referendum

en.wikipedia.org

12 Wisconsin counties have placed referendums before their voters this November to ask the Walker administration to accept federal Medicaid funds. The program in Wisconsin is known as BadgerCare. Chippewa county is the latest to hold such a referendum and Lincoln county has already joined in.

Tuesday, the Oneida county board will consider whether to become the next county to take the issue to a referendum.

The Resolution was sponsored by the Board of Health. Health Department Director Linda Conlon details what the county board will consider....

"......whether or not to place an advisory referendum question on the countywide ballot. That referendum question would state:  'shall the next state legislature accept available federal funds for BadgerCare to ensure that thousands of Wisconsin citizens have access to quality and affordable health care coverage...."

Some counties are concerned that without the federal money, they will be swamped with persons needing care. With tight state levy limits in place, the counties fear they wouldn't be able to have the revenue required to pay for the extra care sought by those without BadgerCare.
Conlon says a number of people are affected....

"....if the state of Wisconsin would accept these federal funds it would help 684 parents and childless adults access BadgerCare..."

Governor Walker says Wisconsin didn't accept the money because the federal government is running a huge deficit and there would be no guarantee future dollars would be there.

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