Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839

Madison – Governor Scott Walker released his Weekly Radio Address today titled “Greater Access, More Affordable Healthcare Options for Everyone.”

Hi, Scott Walker here.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to meet with President Trump, Vice President Pence, and later, members of Congress, to collaborate on health care reform and discuss the best path moving forward.

We need a change. The so-called Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, has failed the people of our nation.

Obamacare is anything but affordable for Americans in need of healthcare. Insurers are pulling out of exchanges, premiums are skyrocketing as millions are faced with an average premium increase of 25 percent this year, and 4.7 million people have been kicked off of their healthcare plans.

On top of this, the law imposed $1 trillion in new taxes and $53 billion in new regulations.

This placed a heavy burden on working families and job creators. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton – a Democrat – said that the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable. I agree. 

We must work together to find solutions benefiting all citizens of America while lifting the regulatory burden and jump-starting our economy. Governors are taking an increasingly greater role in offering guidance for healthcare reform, and there is a good reason for it. Governors, and the states we lead, are more effective, more efficient, and more accountable for the people we serve.

I believe Wisconsin can serve as a national model for repeal, replace, and reform. Our state took a unique approach to navigating Obamacare and for the first time in Wisconsin history, our reforms allowed us to cover everyone living in poverty under Medicaid. 

In fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Wisconsin is the only state in the nation without a gap in coverage among those states that took the expansion and ranks among the best states in the nation for health insurance coverage.

Even though we did not take the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, we actually outrank most of the states who did take it, and every one of the states that did not. 

Our top concern is ensuring no one falls through the cracks as we transition to a new, market-driven solution. The goal is for this transition to be comprehensive and compassionate, reasonable and deliberative. We want the administration and Congress to provide us with appropriate funding and flexibility so that states are able to bend the cost curve on federal entitlements.

Looking forward, we’ll work to develop a healthcare system that is personalized and patient-centered. You see, the people of Wisconsin deserve healthcare that treats you like a person and not a number or statistic. 

Together, we will fight to provide greater access and more affordable healthcare options for all Wisconsin citizens.

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