Subject: [big campaign] Walker's ($)1.3 Million Reasons for Funneling Seniors Out of SeniorCare
From: Aniello Alioto <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:27:43 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: One WI Now <[email-masked]>

   If you are unable to view the message below, click here to view this
message on our website<http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=zyI-eyubvMuCPyptpEqxPQ..>
.

*For Immediate Release
March 23, 2011*
*Contact: Robert Doeckel
Phone: 608-217-0194*

 Walker’s ($)1.3 Million Reasons for Funneling Seniors Out of
SeniorCare *Walker,
Republican Governors Association Have Received $1.3 Million in Contributions
from State’s Medicare Part D Providers; Walker Scheme a $100 Million
Windfall for Providers
*

Madison -- An analysis by One Wisconsin Now shows that companies which
currently administer Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in Wisconsin
have donated in last several years $1.3 million to the campaigns of Gov.
Scott Walker and the Republican Governors Association, which spent $5
million to elect Walker in 2010. Actions by Gov. Walker which threaten
SeniorCare could hand $100 million to companies administering the more
costly federal Medicare Part D program in Wisconsin.

“Seniors across Wisconsin are asking why Gov. Walker wants to ‘dismantle’
SeniorCare and raise their prescription drug costs,” said Scot Ross, One
Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “Between Gov. Walker’s campaign and the
Republicans Governors Association, there are 1.3 million reasons -- the $1.3
million in ncontributions made by companies which handle private drug plans
in Wisconsin and their employees.”

According to records obtained from the Internal Revenue Service and records
at the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System:

   - Walker’s gubernatorial campaign received $24,976 in contributions from
   the employees of the private companies administering Medicare Part D in
   Wisconsin and an additional $1,250 in Political Action Committee money.
   - Walker’s outside campaign machine at the Republican Governors
   Association, which spent $5 million to get him elected, has received $1.28
   million in the last several years from private companies administering
   Medicare Part D in Wisconsin.

The list of private companies providing Medicare Part D benefits in
Wisconsin is available at:
http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/ltcare/Partners/infoseries/RS09-01_WIplan1.pdf<http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=cNJ4eZ86sNbylYJWeBNA-w..>.
Among those companies, the following made contributions to Walker, to the
Republican Governors Association, or both: AETNA, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue
Shield, Cigna Health Care, Coventry Health Care, Dean Health Systems, First
Health, Health Net, HealthSpring, Humana, United HealthCare, Wisconsin
Physicians Service.

In addition to this, Walker’s deputy chief of staff is a former lobbyist for
United HealthCare, one of the state’s Medicare Part D providers. During the
2009-10 session, United HealthCare spent $308,000 in state lobbying costs.

“Our seniors should not have to pay back Gov. Walker’s campaign favors with
higher prescription drug costs,” said Ross. “SeniorCare is a bipartisan plan
and the best way to get seniors affordable prescription drugs -- everyone
from Sen. Herb Kohl to Scott McCallum supported SeniorCare for Wisconsin --
everyone but Gov. Walker.”

The $100 million related to Medicare Part D will come because unlike
SeniorCare, drug companies are forbidden from negotiating lower drug costs
under the federal Medicare Part D Plan. This was in part why Medicare Part D
was finally passed at 3:00 in the morning after the longest open roll call
vote in Congressional history, and regularly vilified as little more than a
windfall for the pharmaceutical drug industry.

“Once again, Gov. Walker’s idea of ‘shared sacrifice’ is seniors and the
middle class must sacrifice, so Walker’s campaign contributors can share our
tax dollars,” said Ross. “Seniors will be asking Gov. Walker’s lapdogs in
the Republican-controlled legislature why Walker’s campaign contributors are
more important than getting them life-saving medicines.”

# # #

One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in
effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive
leadership and values.

Media Inquiries: (608) 204-0677 | Email: [email-masked]

One Wisconsin Now<http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=C3x3wGgqrWG9oeL7EZIk0Q..>|
Unsubscribe<http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/CO?i=-TxOktvn7EwPVWdAp5_CDZjQR0ZnZtSS&cid=0>

One Wisconsin Now. © 2010 All rights reserved.

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group.

To post to this group, send to [email-masked]

To unsubscribe, send email to [email-masked]

E-mail [email-masked] with questions or concerns
 
This is a list of individuals. It is not affiliated with any group or organization.