FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 12, 2010
Contact: Erikka Knuti (202) 603-4600; .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
HIC: Cool Your Jets Walker
Health care group urges Gov. Elect Scott Walker to wait his turn and learn the law
Washington, D.C. — The Health Information Campaign (HIC) asked Governor-Elect Scott Walker to promise to learn the health care law before he proceeds with plans to challenge it. Walked exhibited ignorance of the health care law and it implementation, in a letter he sent to the Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Daniel Schooff. In the letter, Walker who will not actually assume office until January 3, 2011, called sitting Governor Jim Doyle's administration to freeze implementation of the federal health care law.
"Scott Walker has made no secret of his plans to oppose the Affordable Care Act but, there are still 43 days until he actually has the authority to govern," said HIC spokesperson Erikka Knuti. "His request that the state halt its implementation of a federal law is unprecedented and inappropriate. More troubling, it demonstrates an embarrassing lack of knowledge about the actual health care law.
"Walker needs to hit the books, and use the next 43 days to get properly briefed on the issues," Knuti continued. "He needs to learn the law before he acts, and wait his turn before he governs. Wisconsin can't afford to go back to the days when people worried about losing their coverage or going bankrupt if they got sick. Acting without the facts will do real harm to real people."
In his letter, Walker specifically mentioned freezing the establishment of health care exchanges that would allow individuals to purchase insurance. What Walker didn't know before he sent his letter is that the health care exchanges, require state legislation to set-up, and do not take effect until 2013 at the earliest.
If a state fails to set up an exchange by January 1, 2014, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will establish and operate an exchange in the state, either directly or through an agreement with a nonprofit entity. Funding to establish exchanges will be available to states from 2011 until 2015. (Kaiser Health Foundation)
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interviewed past governors or their most senior aides going back to 1977. All agreed that no incoming governor has made requests of an outgoing governor that are on par with the size of Walker's requests.
Earlier this fall HIC launched "America's Fair Health Care" to provide resources and information about the law's implementation, and a national ad campaign to educate the public about the provisions of the new law taking effect. HIC is a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the Affordable Care Act.
"Under new plans, no child under age 19 will be denied coverage for a pre-existing conditions, period. Adults who have been without insurance for six months and who have been unable to obtain insurance because of a pre-existing condition, can apply for coverage under the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)."
Insurers can no longer cut someone after the fact.
New screening procedures are now in place for health care providers to eliminate fraud and waste in the health care system.
Medicare Part D enrollees who hit the Medicare prescription drug benefit gap in 2010 will automatically receive a $250 rebate check.
Effective immediately, qualified small employers get tax credits of up to 35% of premiums for offering coverage.
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America's new health care law makes it easier for you to find the quality, affordable health care that you and your family need.
