- GOP puts BadgerCare, federal health care law in the cross hairs, By Mary Spicuzza, December 2, 2010, Wisconsin State Journal: “After rate hikes made paying for private health insurance impossible, Jim Phillips spent four uninsured years avoiding trips to the doctor’s office. Last year, the Monona small-business owner signed up for one of the state’s health insurance plans, known as BadgerCare Plus. Phillips, a 58-year-old hair stylist, has since had stomach problems he says would have left him $10,000 to $15,000 in debt if he had no insurance. ‘It would affect everything,’ he said. ‘It would affect how I pay my rent, buy groceries, work at the salon. It would be difficult to pay all the medical bills.’ Now Phillips worries he will lose his insurance if Gov.-elect Scott Walker and the Legislature’s majority Republicans, who frequently railed against ‘government-run health care’ during their campaigns, follow through on plans to make changes to BadgerCare and stop implementation of federal health care reforms in the state. For years, Wisconsin has been considered a national health care leader, expanding services and Medicaid programs far beyond federal requirements under Democratic and Republican governors alike. But in the face of a budget deficit that could top $3 billion over the next two years, Republican leaders say everything needs to be on the table for cuts – including the 9 percent of the budget that goes toward Medical Assistance programs…”
- Rising Medicaid costs mean service cuts likely, By Ken Kusmer (AP), December 1, 2010, Chicago Tribune: “Indiana lawmakers likely will cut some Medicaid-provided services in the upcoming legislative session after learning Wednesday that the state’s share of government health insurance program costs will balloon by $1.1 billion over the next two years unless checked. The federal government pays about two-thirds of Indiana’s Medicaid costs, but human services chief Michael Gargano told the State Budget Committee that the state’s share has been growing by more than 10 percent each year. He said that’s because the recession has made more people eligible for Medicaid, which serves those who are needy and disabled. Gargano, secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, asked for an additional $900 million in state Medicaid funds over the two-year period starting next July 1. He recommended the General Assembly rein in the costs by cutting some optional services the state currently provides…”
Day: December 2, 2010
Long-Term Unemployment
- Unemployed, and likely to stay that way, By Catherine Rampell, December 2, 2010, New York Times: “The longer people stay out of work, the more trouble they have finding new work. That is a fact of life that much of Europe, with its underclass of permanently idle workers, knows all too well. But it is a lesson that the United States seems to be just learning. This country has some of the highest levels of long-term unemployment – out of work longer than six months – it has ever recorded. Meanwhile, job growth has been, and looks to remain, disappointingly slow, indicating that those out of work for a while are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Even if the government report on Friday shows the expected improvement in hiring by business, it will not be enough to make a real dent in those totals. So the legions of long-term unemployed will probably be idle for significantly longer than their counterparts in past recessions, reducing their chances of eventually finding a job even when the economy becomes more robust…”
- Extensions for unemployment benefits started to expire earlier this month, By Jeff Bollier, December 2, 2010, Oshkosh Northwestern: “Back in April, when Congressmen and Senators last debated an extension of unemployment benefits, policy groups estimated failure to act would impact about 1,600 Wisconsinites. Congress eventually agreed to extend unemployment benefits to a maximum of 99 weeks. Now, the end of those benefits could have a more far-reaching impact. The extensions approved earlier this year started to expire this month, and the U.S. Department of Labor estimates a decision not to extend benefits now would leave almost 44,000 state residents and 2 million Americans without financial assistance, guaranteeing a dismal holiday season for people already struggling with bills and expenses…”
Child Nutrition Bill
House votes to send child nutrition bill to President Obama, By Nick Anderson, December 2, 2010, Washington Post: “The Democratic-led House voted Thursday to send President Obama a bill that would enable more poor children to receive free meals at school, raise the nutritional quality of cafeteria fare, and reduce the junk food and sugary beverages sold in school vending machines. The bill, which cleared the Senate in the summer, won House approval on a 264-157 vote. More than 15 Republicans broke party ranks to join Democrats in favor of the bill. A handful of Democrats were opposed. The bill, a priority for the president and first lady Michelle Obama, would boost spending on child nutrition $4.5 billion over 10 years and raise federal reimbursements for school lunches more than the inflation rate for the first time since 1973. It also would require for the first time that free drinking water be available where meals are served…”