News

NEW REPORT: Vukmir Repeatedly Opposed Mental Health Coverage

Oct 01, 2018

For Immediate Release
Monday, October 1, 2018
Contact: Brad Bainum, bradb@wisdems.org

NEW REPORT: Vukmir Repeatedly Opposed Expanding Mental Health Care Coverage

A new DPW research report explores how Leah Vukmir has, time and time again, sided with insurance companies over Wisconsinites in need of mental health and substance abuse treatment coverage

MADISON — This week, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is continuing to highlight Republican U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir’s track record of siding with insurance companies over Wisconsinites, today releasing a new research report that exposes Vukmir’s history of repeatedly opposing requiring insurance companies to expand coverage for mental health care and substance abuse treatments.

During her time in Wisconsin’s state legislature, Leah Vukmir has repeatedly blocked and voted against legislation that required insurance companies to expand coverage for Wisconsinites’ mental health and substance abuse treatments, siding with insurance and business advocacy groups over Wisconsinites in need of health care coverage.

  • Vukmir fought and voted against a bill to require that insurance companies cover treatments for mental health and substance abuse as they would cover treatments for other conditions — During the 2009-2010 biennial, Leah Vukmir voted against 2009 Senate Bill 362, a bipartisan measure to require that insurance companies cover mental health and substance abuse treatments as comprehensively as they would treatments for other conditions.

As with Leah Vukmir’s votes against requiring insurance companies to expand coverage for sick Wisconsinites’ oral chemotherapy and hearing-impaired kids’ cochlear implants, Vukmir has routinely opposed expanding coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatments, siding with powerful insurance companies over people.

Similarly, Vukmir is campaigning on repealing the Affordable Care Act and gutting its protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions and returning to the days when insurance companies could write their own rules, despite the fact that 2.4 million Wisconsinites have pre-existing conditions.

Read the full research report on Leah Vukmir’s record on mental health care and substance abuse coverage here.