BadgerCare

As we say good-bye to 2012, it’s good to reflect on the old year and the opportunities and challenges in the New Year.

Looking back, 2012 was the Year of the Mine.

The overwhelming reason constituents contacted me was to express thoughts about mining. Almost half of all contacts I received were related to mining.

“What did we budget for BadgerCare? What did we spend for BadgerCare? What did we get for what we spent?”

I raised these questions at a recent hearing of the Joint Committee on Audit. The Medicaid program – the parent program of BadgerCare – came under scrutiny.

Medicaid (MA) is the largest single program in state government. BadgerCare, Family Care and other health programs provide vital health care to one in five Wisconsinites. Yet a recent audit showed serious problems with accountability and transparency.

The questioning of state officials by Audit committee members centered on such problems as an antiquated state accounting system, a lack of management information available to lawmakers and a ‘shadow agency’ run by contractors.

Some said then, when he was talking about time limits for coverage, that he didn't understand the program. Well, that guy is the governor now, and he still doesn't get it -- or at least pretends he doesn't. Here's the latest salvo:

Walker called for Medicaid reform, saying that BadgerCare has grown too large.