Will Thompson Follow Wall and Westlake’s Lead?
Wall Joins Westlake and Pledges to Repeal Health Insurance Reform
MADISON – Yesterday, multimillionaire Terrence Wall, who famously said, “Our (health care) system isn’t broken,” followed in the footsteps of his Republican opponent Dave Westlake and declared he would “lead the fight” to repeal the health insurance reform package passed over the weekend. Meanwhile, Former Bush Administration Secretary Tommy Thompson continues to weigh a run for U.S. Senate, and has spent the last five years as a Washington, D.C. insider, cashing in for his work on behalf of corporate interests – including health insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
Thompson was an early supporter of the Senate health reform bill, even sending a letter of support for health insurance reform legislation.
Just five months ago Thompson wrote:
“Wall and Westlake now support a health insurance company take over of our health care system,” said Mike Tate, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “They oppose putting people in control of their own health insurance. Will Secretary Thompson follow their lead?”
Wall and Westlake are now on record supporting a repeal of health insurance reform that would do the following forWisconsin.
Ø Improves coverage for 3,798,000 residents with health insurance.
Ø Gives tax credits and other assistance to up to 1,369,000 families and 123,900 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
Ø Improves Medicare for 877,000 beneficiaries, including closing the “donut hole.”
Ø Extends coverage to 172,000 uninsured residents.
Ø Guarantees that 63,200 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
Ø Protects 10,300 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
Ø Allows 455,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans, complimenting existing Wisconsin law.
Ø Provides millions of dollars in new funding for 87 community health centers.
Ø Reduces the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $433 million annually.
Wall’s repeal of health insurance reform would alsoincrease the deficit by over $100 billion in this decade and by more than $1 trillion over the following 10 years. Wall’s repeal effort will also take away from Wisconsinites the same health care choices that members of Congress have and kick them out of a new competitive health insurance market that will keep costs down make health insurance affordable for the middle class and small businesses, reducing premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
