LETTER: Republican legislators’ refusal to accept Medicaid funds is hurting state’s fiscal health

To Ozaukee Press:
Let’s look at the economics of the debate in Madison over whether to accept federal Medicaid expansion money under the Affordable Care Act.

Wisconsin’s refusal to accept the money means a loss of $1.4 billion in federal money in the next two years. Some 82,000 fewer people are covered. Accepting this money would generate $324.5 million in taxpayer savings in the Wisconsin budget.

Let’s look at the reasons Madison Republicans are giving to turn down Medicaid expansion.

State Sen. Alberta Darling: “The reason we don’t want to take the federal healthcare expansion, it’s worth a lot of money today, but will the federal government be able to give it tomorrow?” Wisconsin accepts billions of federal dollars every year for education, transportation, and much more—why are these dollars any different?

There is the argument that it is taxpayer money paid to the federal government. True—and it’s Ozaukee County taxpayer money that is going to fund other states whose legislatures wisely expanded Medicaid.

Wisconsin’s Republican legislators prefer not to accept money from the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) because they want to play hardball with Democrats, even if it means hurting Wisconsinites.

Republican-majority legislatures with Republican governors that have accepted these federal funds are Iowa, Kentucky, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, West Virginia,  Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Alaska, Montana and Arizona.

Independent polling shows that 70% of Wisconsin residents want our state government to accept the health care-expansion funding. Gov. Evers agrees.

Partisan politics hurt real people, ignore the will of the majority and send our tax dollars to benefit residents in other states.         

Let’s remind Sen. Darling and the Assembly representatives that they represent all of us in Ozaukee County. Please contact Sen. Darling and your Wisconsin state representative.

Dan Stern
Mequon