Local Legislator Speaks On Possible Medicaid Expansion

First District State Senator Andre Jacque spoke recently with Seehafer News on Governor Tony Evers push for Medicaid expansion. The De Pere Republican, who serves Northern Manitowoc County in his constituency, takes issue with the Federal Government that in his words “can’t afford to pay its own bills but passes on to states this money that can only be used for Medicaid expansion.” He cites Minnesota as an example. They took federal dollars to expand Medicaid but later had to pump in hundreds of millions of state dollars to keep it sustainable. Jacque says Wisconsin does “very well” in terms of access to “health care quality” and expand care to 100 percent of the poverty level without taking the additional federal dollars. However-he’s concerned how-in lieu of taking the money-Wisconsin can solve a long-standing problem of low Medicaid reimbursement rates. The local legislator feels there’s room for bi-partisan discussion on this issue but whatever comes of it he’s adamant that it must be a solution that brings affordable-sustainable health care for all.