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Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Healthy Wisconsin an affordable plan

By DAVID NEWBY | Milwaukee

Good editorial July 7 regarding various health-care proposals before our Legislature.

Just two points to add: the Senate Democrats’ plan, “Healthy Wisconsin, Your Choice, Your Plan” is not expensive. It costs $15 billion in payroll deductions from workers and employers — but it replaces the $17 billion we’re currently paying for those not covered by Medicare — and it covers everyone in the state. That’s what the actuaries say, and no one has refuted: we pay $2 billion less and everyone gets the same comprehensive coverage that the governor and our legislators get (and that we pay for).

How can Mike Huebsch propose, with a straight face, that we should have (if our employer offers it to us) $2,000 Health Savings Accounts, with an $11,000 out-of-pocket maximum, when Healthy Wisconsin (which would be his plan), costs us 4 percent of wages (similar to Social Security) with an $11,000 family out-of -pocket maximum? Why shouldn’t everyone in Wisconsin have the same benefits that Huebsch has (at taxpayer expense), as long as everyone — employers and workers alike — pay their fair share?

Second, Healthy Wisconsin is not complicated. It is financed by a payroll tax (sliding scale) and everyone picks a plan: either a network like Gundersen Lutheran or a fee-for-service plan. If one is a lot more expensive than the other, you pay the difference. Benefits are standard and comprehensive (exactly the same, as indicated, as the governor and legislators get). Savings to local government units should be enough to allow at least a $500 property tax cut for Wisconsin homeowners.

So, lower costs, better benefits, everyone’s covered, lower property taxes. What’s not to like about Healthy Wisconsin? Why does Mike Huebsch

plan to take it out of the

budget?

David Newby is president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.