Brookfield7: Public Option BadgerCare Basic Plus Insurance up for Senate vote today, call before 11am!

If you have never called a State Senator about a bill before, call about this one!* Why?

BadgerCare Basic Plus, Wisconsin's own version of a public option health insurance plan, has been called worse than ObamaCare for Wisconsin. So call before 11 am today, Feb. 25th to voice your opposition.

Now you would think at a time of raging billions of dollar deficits in Wisconsin that the Democrats in the legislature would hesitate to bring yet another expensive entitlement program to the floor. But then again, I said, you would think.

I heard Mark Belling say Wednesday, that the bill was on the Senate floor on Tuesday for a vote, but Decker pulled it back to committee after a few amendments failed to pass. He knew he didn't have the votes. (Lena Taylor was absent.)

But BadgerCare Core Plus will return to the State Senate floor, Thursday, Feb. 25th, at 11 am. That is why it is so important to call your State Senator before then--especially if he is Jim Sullivan or the other key Senators facing tough reelections.

In a nutshell, BadgerCare Plus Basic is a very inexpensive public option health insurance plan. It costs only $130 a month. It covers major medical, generic drugs, and a few other things. It is a no frills type policy. It also covers pre-existing conditions.

Now how on earth can our state offer this insurance at such a low price? They got a $1million dollar Federal grant to pay for it. Even with the grant, how can this work? How can this pay for itself as the pro Democrats insist? Rep. Mike Huebsch writes, "Enrollment in the state’s healthcare programs exceeds 1 million for the first time in Wisconsin history – about 18 percent of the state’s population." We cannot afford adding more.

There are 18 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the State Senate. Since 1 Democrat already said she isn't voting for it, that leaves just 1 making or breaking this bill. That is why it is so important you call! (Find your State Senator)

If you haven't called the key State Senators, you still have a chance before this is voted on. Senator Jim Sullivan (866) 817-6061 Remind State Senator Sullivan that he is facing a tough reelection race this fall from Rep. Leah Vukmir.

Senator Jeff Plale Co-sponsor of the bill, (608) 266-7505 He campaigned on a tax freeze and as a moderate.

Senator John Lehman (608) 266-1832 Or (866) 615-7510 Like Sullivan, he is facing a tough reelection.

Private insurance companies will be put at a disadvantage since they are not allowed to offer such a stripped down policy. They also are not allowed to reimburse Doctors and Hospitals at Medicaid rates--that means private payer rates go up to compensate.

According to Doyle pushing BadgerCare Plus-worse than Obamacare for Wisconsin-Call your legislators,

"Sullivan, Vinehout and Sen. Pat Kreitlow (D–Chippewa Falls) have written an amendment that would require the state Department of Health Services to confirm monthly that those who sign up for the Basic plan are eligible for it and the Core plan; inform potential enrollees of other public and private health-care plans; and report quarterly to the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on the solvency of the Basic plan."

"Sullivan said the amendment would ensure the program is self-funded, but Vinehout said even with the amendment she would not vote for the bill."

“'Now is not the time to expand this program,'

"...Vinehout told reporters, 'The program is not well capitalized, I don’t believe [existing funding] is enough to cover what is certainly to be a very sick population.' " (Emphasis mine)

Existing funding isn't enough to spare tax weary Wisconsinites either! Make that call!

*For more details listen to Mark Belling's podcast for Hour 3, Part 2 (the 5:30 - 6pm time slot) Wednesday, Feb. 24. He considers this vote as the most important of the year.

Rep. Mike Huebsch: Wisconsin's Public Option

Ongoing problems require audit of BadgerCare