Local representatives push Governor Walker to accept Medicaid funding

Partial expansion could help cover additional 80,000 residents

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin are making another call for the state to accept federal Medicaid money.

The Democrats have been criticizing Governor Scott Walker since he declined to accept the federal money to support the state’s BadgerCare program two years ago. They say a partial expansion of the program would cover an additional 80,000 residents and save the state $240 million over the next two years.

Governor Walker declined to accept the money saying the federal government may not have enough money to support its funding promise.

The democrat behind the latest bill says he considered that with his latest proposal.

“So I took seriously their concern about that and I wrote it into the bill, and I’m calling it an escape route, a way to go back to the way things are now if the feds change the fiscal arrangement,” said 7th Assembly District Representative Daniel Riemer.

“If you’re saving money and covering more people, that’s a tremendous advantage,” said 92nd Assembly District Representative Chris Danou.

Republican Representatives Nancy Vander Meer and Lee Nerison were not available for comment on Monday.

Five republican governors have accepted federal money for a partial expansion, including Iowa’s.