Walker To Announce Decison On Health Exchanges

Governor Scott Walker will announce Friday whether the state will follow through on creating an exchange, a key element of health reform. He’s getting pressure from those who want Wisconsin to set up an exchange, and others who want the state to continue its resistance.

The re-election of President Obama has not made his signature legislation any less controversial, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding health reform has not silenced critics. In fact, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that nine state lawmakers told Tea Party groups they’d like to nullify health reform and arrest federal officials who try to implement it. Democratic Senator Jon Richards of Milwaukee has written Gov. Walker on the matter, “I think that’s outrageous and beyond the pale. We’ve called on Gov. Walker to distance himself from those remarks and commit to vetoing any bill like that that would come to his desk. And to take the next step and implement an exchange in a way that’s right for Wisconsin.”

A Republican lawmaker who opposes health reform doubts the nullification talk will amount to anything. Frank Lasee of De Pere is not currently supporting it, “I would consider it and look at it. I don’t know that it would work in the real world. If it had a real possibility — I believe there are 11 other states that have pursued nullification. If it worked in the real world I’d be interested in looking at that option.”

Friday, Gov. Walker will announce whether Wisconsin intends to run a state exchange or let the federal government do it. Several groups previously opposed to health reform are now urging Wisconsin to set up its own exchange. An exchange would be an online marketplace where people could buy health insurance.