Wisconsin: Counties push back against Walker's BadgerCare decision
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/story/news/local/2014/07/05/counties-push-back-walkers-badgercare-decision/12195959/
STEVENS POINT – Portage County might join several other Wisconsin counties demanding that Gov. Scott Walker's administration accept federal money to expand BadgerCare .
Second District County Board Member Joanne Suomi is leading the charge in Portage County to add a referendum question to the November ballot to ask for citizens' opinion on Walker's decision not to accept the money. Portage County is among at least 11 Wisconsin counties that have pursued BadgerCare referendums in one form or another.
Although the referendum question is advisory and wouldn't require any action following the vote, Suomi said she thinks it is important for people to share their opinions with state leadership. "It gives the opportunity to have a voice in what the state is doing at the state level," Suomi said.
Walker was among about 25 governors who declined federal funding to expand Medicaid in their states. Under the Affordable Care Act, states were allowed to expand their Medicaid programs to cover people earning up to 138 percent of the poverty level. Walker chose to expand the program only for those earning 100 percent of the poverty level and said his approach would keep everyone living below the poverty line covered.
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