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Doyle convenes
leaders for summit Governor Jim Doyle Friday (September 21, 2007) announced that he will hold a summit with Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch and others beginning Monday at the Executive Residence to work on a budget agreement. Besides Robson and Huebsch, the chairs of the conference committee negotiating the budget, a third, floating member of the committee will sit in on the talks. Who it is will depend on the issue addressed. Doyle indicated what some of his priorities will be in the negotiations, saying he will make it clear he will not sign a budget that cuts K-12 school funding, doesn't "adequately fund" the UW System, and doesn't include a "good strong medical assistance program" including expanded BadgerCare coverage. |
Senate Democrats on the state budget conference committee Friday (September 21, 2007) offered to withdraw their Healthy Wisconsin universal health care plan from their version of the 2007-09 state budget if the Assembly Republican conferees agreed to support BadgerCare Plus and various revenue enhancers to fund health care.
Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) said the Democrats took the action to help move budget negotiations forward. The Republicans on the conference committee did not accept the Democrats’ offer, but only said they would review it over the weekend. An Assembly-Senate conference committee is currently negotiating budget details and will meet again next week to discuss counter-offers.
BadgerCare Plus would cover all children and help ensure that 98% of Wisconsin citizens have access to affordable health care. Republicans have no budget proposal for comprehensive health care reform.
Democrats are seeking a funding package that includes a cigarette tax increase, nursing home bed tax, hospital assessment and transfer of funds from the Wisconsin Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund.
Robson said the Democrats remain committed to health care reform and will introduce Healthy Wisconsin as a stand-alone bill separate from the state budget. WEAC embraces universal health care as a policy, starting with promoting reform along the lines of Governor Doyle’s 2007-09 budget proposals, such as BadgerCare Plus, and those contained in the WEA Trust’s New Wisconsin Idea.
Senate Democrats had unveiled the Healthy Wisconsin reform plan in July, saying it would guarantee quality, affordable health care for every person who lives or works in the state. The Healthy Wisconsin plan would guarantee a choice of high-quality public and private health plans in every region of the state, according to the Wisconsin Health Care Reform Campaign Coalition, of which WEAC is a member.
Find out more about the health care crisis in Wisconsin by visiting the OnWEAC Members Only site. Click on Cyberlobby at the top right, and select the “Health Care Costs Crisis Resources” link.
Posted September 21, 2007