CONTACT: Eric Bott, EBott@afphq.org
Group Calls out Candidate for Inaccurate Smear on Walker’s Health Care Record
MADISON, Wis. – Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin (AFP-WI) on Tuesday reacted to Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers’ latest ad, in which he asserts that “Wisconsin families now pay nearly 50% more than Minnesotans for the same healthcare.” This assertion is yet another example of the dishonesty Wisconsinites could expect from a Tony Evers administration and the grassroots group expressly advocates for his defeat.
AFP-WI State Director Eric Bott issued the following statement:
“It is clear that Tony Evers cannot defend his own half-baked policy positions, so he is resorting to desperate, misleading attacks on Governor Walker’s health care achievements. The reality is that Wisconsinites are paying less than Minnesotans for health care – not more. Mr. Evers should seek a second opinion and avoid getting data-twisted. If one of his students put this claim in a term paper, Evers would have to flunk him for getting basic facts and basic math wrong. This whopper is yet another reason why Wisconsin voters should vote against Tony Evers in November.”
Background:
- According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the 2014 healthcare spend per capita in Minnesota was $8,871, while it was $8,702 the same year in Wisconsin. So, Wisconsinites actually spent $169 per person less than Minnesotans.
- According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for family coverage under an employer-sponsored health insurance plan was $17,545 in Minnesota in 2016. In Wisconsin, the premium was $17,477 the same year. So, family coverage actually cost $68 less in Wisconsin than in Minnesota.
- The Evers ad cherry picks one data point from the Kaiser Family Foundation that ESTIMATES the cost of an Obamacare “Silver” plan for a 40 year-old.
