Governor Walker Defends his Decision to Decline Federal Funding Expanding Medicaid
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 -- 10:40 AM
(Marshfield News Herald) -Gov. Scott Walker made a stop in Weston Monday to discuss the progress manufacturing has made during his tenure and to defend his decision to decline federal funding to expand Medicaid coverage for the state.According to the Marshfield News Herald, Walker visited the C TECH Manufacturing facility in Weston the same day that the state's nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a report regarding Walker's decision to turn down federal funding which would expand the state?s Medicaid programs.
Walker is among about 25 governors who refused federal funding to expand the program, called BadgerCare in Wisconsin. According to the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would pay 100 percent of the cost to assist people earning up to 138 percent of the poverty level, or about $16,105 for individuals and $32,913, through 2016. Walker's approach is to expand the program for those earning up to 100 percent of the poverty level, or about $11,670 for an individual or $23,850 for a family of four, but no one above that limit.
"Anybody that's been paying attention to the Federal government knows it has about a $17 trillion debt," Walker said. "They've backed out many times in the past, whether on medicaid or special education funding. Anyone who believes the federal government will keep up its end of the bargain, Walker said, is "living in a bit of a fantasy."
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