Wow. For an allegedly self-made multimillionaire plastics manufacturer who worships the free market, Ron Johnson really knows how to use government programs to his advantage.There’s a long list of government programs that have helped Johnson’s PACUR, from the government grant that most likely created his job, to the rail spur that leads directly to PACUR’s door, to the inmates who work at PACUR, but whose health care costs are paid by the state.
Now I’ve just found out from the state Department of Health Services that PACUR has five adults with ten children on BadgerCare, the state-subsidized health insurance plan for low-income workers.
But I thought that Johnson had the same insurance as all PACUR employees?
And I thought that Johnson doesn’t want the government to intervene in the free market, because that would mean the government is picking winners and losers?
And that Johnson wants to repeal health care reform because free market solutions are so superior to reforms that involve the government?
Wonder if the Republican gubernatorial ticket of Walker and Kleefisch realize that when they promise to cut BadgerCare they’re promising to take away another government perk from companies like PACUR. And, more importantly, take away affordable health insurance from low-income workers who really need it.
I’d love to talk to Johnson about PACUR’s use of BadgerCare. But, of course, his campaign won’t return calls for comment.
His only comment on BadgerCare, as far as I can tell, is to say “We have it.”
Sounds like someone who doesn’t want to admit that his own employees “have it.”
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Great story, Lisa! Good investigative journalism. Its hard to believe that the State is providing health insurance to Ron Johnson's employees. Why isn't his company--which made him a multimillionaire--providing this benefit to his less advantaged employees? He is an out-and-out hyprocrite in claiming to be an Ayn Rand 'individualist' who needs no help from the government to make his millions. Besides, he also got help from his wife's family. So, the rest of us should be so lucky.
It's hard to believe the state is providing free healthcare to individuals that have a full time job. Why do these people even work??? With free daycare, food stamps, welfare and Badgercare it makes more sense for single moms to stay at home. That's the problem in today's society but nobody wants to be honest and say it.
Most likely those employees have not been employed long enough to get healthcare. Or they are part-timers that don't qualify. Companies cannot simply hand out healthcare to employees unless they have shown they will be sticking aorund or arn't sick coming in, trying to scam the system.
I don't think Republicans want to eliminate Badger Care, they just people to man up and pay for like the rest of us do.
OMG - many of received double tax free income from our Wisconsin municipal bonds -- OMG we are getting a tax break with the tax free loophole!! - that goes to benefit Roads, hosptitals and school. We all take tax decutions or use legal loopholes. Do the Dems think we should just pay tax on all our money? Insane!!!
There are many reasons why these people are on BadgerCare. My questions is why the state even told you this? I'm sure some HIPPA laws have been broken in this reporting.
Many people can quailfy for BadgerCare under ObamaCare.
This is not reporting, this is an invasion of privacy.
Lisa- please print the name of the person at the state Department of Health Services that gave you this information. That person broke the law and should be fired and punished accordingly. Unless that person doesn't exist, and your information is bogus.
The focus is not on why Johnson's employees and prisioners have badger care. The point is that he has claimed over and over that he's capable of running a successful business without government aid. He wants to get government out of the way...so he claimed! He speaks well out of both sides of his mouth! I don't think that this info is bogus. It's no secret about his prisoners on payroll and how Johnson married into this business, the grants and thw whole nine yards. Now you want someone to be fired for exposing the truth
This is rich. Great story, good job. Johnson really is a piece of work, isn't he? It'd almost be funny if he wasn't trying to be a senator.
It is unbelievable that a government agency would tell you how many employees of a specific company are on a government health insurance program. Does that not give everyone reading this a chill? This is exactly why many of us don't want to expand government's reach into our healthcare. To address your issue, do you understand that what insurance coverage Johnson's employees choose is not Johnson's decision? When some of his employees saw that they could have the taxpayers subsidize their health insurance, they jumped at the chance. There will be those looking to freeload in every organization. BadgerCare is no longer for "low income workers". It has been expanded under Doyle and a Democratic state legislature to the point that almost anyone can qualify. Why anyone would want to is a mystery- do a quick search and you can find many people complaining about the services, the snafus, the red tape, etc. The irony is that many of those same people think that increased government involvement will make the programs run more smoothly- as if they immediately forgot what they had just griped about.
"Almost anyone can qualify (for BadgerCare)."
No. Wrong. And untrue. IF you're able to qualify, you don't make a livable wage. Personally, I was in a new industry, first job, making peanuts with no benefits, and I couldn't qualify. And I was certainly not making a livable wage.
You seemed concerned that there are people who milk the system who aren't as poor as you think they should be using these social benefits. You're right, there are.
My concern is that there are also people out there with enough wealth to buy and sell you and me together who go out of their way to avoid taxes and skim by using legal technicalities so they can have even more money. Because there are.
Rusty, here are the guidelines, straight from the BadgerCare website:
The BadgerCare Plus Core Plan provides access to health care services to long-term uninsured adults. If your income is at or below 200% of the federal guidelines ($1,805 for a single person and $2,428.33 for a married couple*); are age 19 through 64 who do not have children or do not have dependent children under age 19 living with you, you may be able to enroll in the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan.
True, there is a waitlist now. Yes, I was incorrect to say "almost anyone". But if you think that $1,800/month is poor, you've never seen real poverty. By your yardstick, I was poor for the first 4 years of my working life. The difference is that I never thought of it that way. I worked hard, educated myself about my industry and my job, and advanced at a good rate. I also took advantage of student loans- which are truly easy for "almost anyone" to get if you're willing to do some paperwork- to make myself more attractive to employers. The fact that I couldn't afford cable television or a nice car for 5 or 6 years did not qualify me as disadvantaged, yet I would have qualified for BadgerCare.
I think you're misunderstanding the intent of badger care.
$1800 may not be 'poor' but it also isn't the most stable amount either.
If you make less than 22,000 a year, and the average annual insurance premium is around $3000, that is 13% of your income immediately gone.
Housing costs, at an average of $575/month (median cost), or $6900 annually, that's another 31% of your income, gone.
Lets pretend this single person takes the bus to work daily, and is smart and buys a bus pass at $17.50/week, ($910 annually) which is another 4% of your income, gone.
Also-- i'm guessing this person would want a heated house, too! Lets take a (Conservative) average of $125/month, or $1500 annually, that would be another 7% of your income gone.
Also, most everyone needs a phone, and they average about $90/month or so-- ($1080 annually) making another 5% of your income gone.
With a safe estimation of $200 a month for food, that's $2400 annually, and a total of 11% of your income gone.
And let's say you spent another $100/month ($1200 annually) on incidentals, like clothes, cleaning supplies, household needs, etc... That's another 5.5% of your income, gone.
Total, at this point-- that leaves a person at 200% above the poverty level with a grand total of 76.5% of their income or $16830 used solely in the cost of living. That leaves a single person with $5170 to cover all emergencies, leisure activities, and living life. That's it. This is also assuming that this person has no illnesses requiring medications, no children (in which case-- their premium, food costs, incidental costs and household needs DOUBLES) and no major outstanding debts, like student loans, car payments or credit cards... And god forbid any huge life altering things happen that would cost them money.
Don't boil someone's life down to the luxury of cable and assume they'd rather have that than health insurance. Sometimes, that little bit of alleviation that helps someone over the edge-- If they spend less time freaking out about bills, and know their healthcare is covered by Badger Care-- or better yet-- have the human right of being HEALTHY, they can find that better job and move themselves up in the World.
Lisa,
Nice hatchet job. Let's leave out all facts about BadgerCare and continue to bash a business man that has done more to provide prosperity to his employees then anything Russ Feingold has done in his life.
If you did any reporting, and are not making this story up, you would find out that most businesses have employees on Badger Care. It's simply less expensive if you meet the low income requirements. I believe that says more about our entitlement society than it does about Ron Johnson.
How about Feingold's healthcare? What plan is he on? Are his staffers on the same plan? Why don't you check into that.
Why should she? Feingold isn't the one who lies & says how he doesn't or wouldn't accept government assistance. Why is it the rightards scream hatchet job when the media ferrets out the lies their candidate spew?
Fact of the matter is this: Republicans favor ideology and opportunism over all else, regardless of it's inherent hypocrisy. It's trendy for a Republican to denounce state of federal funded care, of all kinds. There in lies the opportunity to take advantage of their legion of naive followers. It's "do as I say, not as I do." If you favor shallow, hypocritic rhetoric you're a Republican. If you favor action and political integrity, you're a Democrat.
By the way, Pyg, state and federal funded program info is public domain; along the same vein in which we can all see what city, state, and federal employees earn in a year. It's not like they're releasing the IDs of these people, they're just letting us know stats. And don't start in on the shallow b.s. about the reach of government. Republicans seem just fine with having the government's far reach effect the lives of women, same sex couples, minorities, suspected "terrorists," etc.
Shallow BS? "If you favor shallow, hypocritic rhetoric you're a Republican. If you favor action and political integrity, you're a Democrat." That is about as shallow as it gets. You resort to name calling in an instant. That is shallow. Your assertion that I adhere to my belief system because it is "trendy" is absurd, and an extremely shallow interpretation of reasonable assertions. To say that the left is not a group that is enslaved by ideology (Do what feels good, regardless of whether it works or not) is just plain dishonest. Many progressives actually proudly own up to thier ideological bent.
What "name calling," Pyg? If you're going to get so bunched up when someone exposes you and your party, don't post on message boards.
Democrats endorse policy that favors the people; affordable health care for all, good/free schools, clean/efficient public transportation, jobs. These things would works for the public if Republicans and Conservatives would stop scaring people into thinking they're Socialist concepts. Republicans endorse policy that favors the rich and the greedy. They want to privatize and deregulate without consideration for the effect it will have on the people. Know your history, Pyg.
I don't what will be more exciting: seeing Ron Johnson and Scott Walker win on November 2nd or witnessing the incessant whining by inferior and lazy leftists after the conservative tsunami kicks ass and takes names in less than 2 weeks. Again, let me reiterate my appreciation for the insanity of you socialist bozos. If it weren't for you clowns and your delusional and inferior belief system, the upcoming conservative revolution would not have been possible. Again, thanks a million!
Thanks a million for, once again, dazzling us with your ignorance, Corrina. We all think, "can a Corrina post get any dumber?" Then, as if on cue, you post something like this. Bravo!
This is important information about a recurring theme with this candidate. His actions contradict his words. He claims to want less government, but then takes advantage of some of the very same government programs that would go away under his proposals. Why? Is he for these programs or against them? The voters have a right to know.
Since he is running as a businessman, I want to know how his proposals would impact his business and his employees. Would his business still provide health coverage for his employees if government was "smaller" and BadgerCare did not exist? Would he increase pay so these employees could buy their own health coverage? Or would he pocket the tax savings and expect those employees to go uninsured? The voters have a right to know.