Wisconsin Republicans to decide on health care funding

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature were set to decide how much they intend to spend on health care programs over the next two years.

The Legislature’s GOP-controlled budget committee was meeting Tuesday to vote on funding for the state’s BadgerCare Medicaid program and a host of other health care programs in the state.

Republicans have already decided to reject Gov. Tony Evers’ call to expand Medicaid, a move that would save the state $324 million over the next two years because of additional federal funding.

Under Evers’ budget, the state would also leverage $1.6 billion in additional federal funds to pay for a wide range of programs targeting women’s health, reimbursement rates for doctors and other health care providers, mental health and substance abuse services, dental health care and lead poisoning.