Governor Doyle of Wisconsin Discusses Health Care Leadership
Story from NBC26 WGBA

Governor Jim Doyle will discuss his leadership in health care and moderate the first Regional White House Forum on Health Reform on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 2:00 EDT at the Ford Conference and Event Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Governor Doyle will join Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.

Governor Doyle has made Wisconsin a national leader in providing access to affordable health care. In a time when many states are cutting back on health care programs, Governor Doyle is moving forward on a bold plan to insure 98 percent of Wisconsin residents through simple, accessible, and affordable plans. Since February 2008, all kids in Wisconsin have been able to get the health care they need at a price their families can afford through BadgerCare Plus. Nearly 70,000 children have enrolled in the program since 2008.

Governor Doyle is also moving forward the state's efforts to provide low-costs prescription drugs to Wisconsin seniors through SeniorCare. SeniorCare is cheaper, easier to apply for and provides better drug coverage than Medicare Part D. The program saves taxpayers and the federal government over $90 million a year, and provides prescriptions to 90,000 Wisconsin seniors.

Wisconsin is making strides in many areas of health care, including long-term care. The state's pilot program, Family Care, serves elders and people with disabilities with a need for a nursing home level of care with a flexible, community-based approach. It saves the Wisconsin Medicaid program an average of $450 per month per person.

Forum participants will include doctors, patients, providers, insurers, policy experts and health care advocates of all kinds - both Democrats and Republicans - who will discuss the urgent need to curb skyrocketing health care costs that are draining our federal and state budgets, devastating families and small businesses and undermining our long-term economic prosperity. People across the country can also visit www.healthreform.gov to submit their questions and ideas and join the debate.