Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is indicating he will not attempt to create a state health care insurance exchange for Wisconsin residents and will instead delegate that chore to the federal government.
To comply with the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, the governors of the states must inform the Obama administration by Friday whether or not they will pursue federal funding to help them establish the exchanges. If they do not wish to form their own exchanges, the federal government will create the exchanges for them.
Walker, who is attending the Republican Governors Association meeting in Las Vegas, told The New York Times today, “I’d much prefer control at the state level but the problem is, I don’t think they are really state-run.”
Walker added, “Why do I want to take on the potential risk to my taxpayers if I don’t really have any true authority about what’s going to happen?”
The decision is pitting Walker between siding with corporate interests or Tea Party interests on the far right of the political spectrum.
Several groups, including the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce; the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, the Wisconsin Hospitals Association and the Wisconsin Medical Society, have been urging Walker to form a state-run exchange, rather than leaving it all up to the federal government.
“Wisconsin must retain authority, flexibility and leverage — tools that will keep us on the path to achieving true reform and preserve our leading edge health care system as a Wisconsin strength,” said Eric Borgerding, executive vice president of the Wisconsin Hospitals Association. “WHA believes the correct choice for Wisconsin is steering its own course. That means, to the greatest extent possible, operating a Wisconsin-run health insurance exchange.”
However, representatives from 20 Tea Party groups in Wisconsin sent a letter to Walker, warning him against pursuing a state-run exchange.
“Wisconsin must stand. As a significant and highly active portion of your base, we have defended you tirelessly through all of the battles of the last year and a half. We also came to the aid of legislators who stood with you on Act 10. We have done right by you. We now urge you to once again do right by us,” stated the letter, which was signed by Tea Party advocates from around the state, including Joanne Terry of “Ozaukee Patriots” in Mequon, Paul Bruno of “Tea Party Perspective” of Racine and Ed Willing of “Founders Intent” of Caledonia. “The sovereignty of this state and the personal liberty of every single Wisconsinite is at stake – including the lives of the unborn, on whose behalf you have, to date, always advocated. No other considerations can compare to life and liberty. As noted, a yes to Obamacare is not an option. We will not accept it. We are therefore waiting for you to issue an unequivocal, ‘NO!’ When you do, we expect all Republican state legislators to stand with you, as will we.”
So far, 17 states, most led by Democrats, and the District of Columbia have indicated they will create their own state-run exchanges. Others are expected to join them on Friday.
