U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s troubled “Victims of Government” series has added yet another episode and if Redd Foxx were around he would surely be clutching his chest saying this is the big one– hear that Elizabeth, I’m coming to join ya!
The latest “victim” is Kathi Rose, a 62 year old pastor in Neenah. She had breast cancer 20 years ago and after that found getting health insurance an impossible task because of her pre-existing condition.
Luckily, Rose quickly discovered that Wisconsin had something called the Health Insurance RiskSharing Plan (HIRSP). The state-managed HIRSP system was adopted in the early 1990s and was funded through a combination of patient premiums and a surcharge on “regular” health insurance plans in the state. HIRSP also mandated that health care providers treat HIRSP patients at discounted rates.
Generally speaking, HIRSP members loved the plan, because they were getting subsidized rates that were cheaper than what was available on the private market. This was because state statutes required that 40% of the HIRSP members’ premiums be paid by surcharges on the insurance programs of “regular” health plans, and by reduced charges from doctors. In other words, we were all paying 40% of Kathi Rose’s premiums.
Health insurance companies and health providers didn’t like the plan because they were paying for it through taxes/surcharges and mandated discounts.
So, it’s 2013 and everything’s going hunky-dory for Rose, until she gets a letter from the HIRSP Authority saying that, because the Affordable Care Act (ACA) puts an end to discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, HIRSP will cease to exist as of January 1, 2014.
Remembering President Obama’s promise that “if you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance,” Rose becomes enraged and calls up Senator Johnson to relay her tale of woe.
Johnson jumped into action and before Obama knew what him, BAM!, another “Victim of Government” was making its debut.
The only problem with this story is that Johnson failed to check one key element of this story: The reason why HIRSP was killed had nothing to do with the ACA.
HIRSP was axed by Governor Scott Walker in his 2013-15 biennial budget.
3 thoughts on “Ron Johnson’s “victim of government” had her government healthcare cancelled by Scott Walker”
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See Government doesn’t work!
Republicans get into office by claiming government is broken and then use all their power to sabotage and prove their claims true.
I am confused. It was originally enacted to help those who were uninsurable get insurance. With tha passage of the ACA, that was no longer needed. The logical conclusion would be that the plan was cut because it was now seen as duplicative. Do you have some proof that that was NOT the case because all the facts seem to point in the other direction?
WI Governor Walker cancelled this lady’s [and others] Health Insurance. [Not Obama] Republicans refused to fund Medicaid.