Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch said Friday that she is "livid" over what she calls a completely dishonest ad from a liberal group suggesting that Governor Walker would end protections for patients with pre-existing condition were Obamacare to be repealed.
The ad features a cancer patient claiming that "Scott Walker just doesn't seem to care about families like mine."
Kleefisch, a cancer survivor, filmed an ad in response:
In an interview on The Dan O'Donnell Show Friday morning, Kleefisch reiterated the themes of her ad, pushing back strongly against the notion that Wisconsin does not or would not provide protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.
"There is no more gross mischaracterization of Governor Walker's intentions than saying something like that," she said.
In fact, just eight months ago, the Governor proposed a plan to ensure that consumers with pre-existing conditions are guaranteed coverage no mater what happens to Obamacare:
"The law going forward should say that pre-existing conditions are covered," Walker said. "So that someone suffering from cancer or some other serious illness or ailment doesn't have to worry about having access or continuing to have coverage."
In a move designed to lower premiums for people in the private insurance marketplace, Walker announced Sunday he wants Wisconsin to join Minnesota, Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska in obtaining a federal waiver to offer reinsurance.
Through reinsurance, federal and state government would help insurance companies with the financial cost of their highest claims.
Wisconsin would use a combined $200 million in government funds for the plan. Only 25 percent of the funding would come through the state, which Walker said won't require any new taxpayer money.
He then formally proposed it in his State of the State Address.
"The biggest concern I hear about is from those who are worried about pre-existing conditions," he said. "With that in mind, I propose that we enact a law in Wisconsin that will guarantee coverage of pre-existing conditions. That way someone who has cancer or another serious disease or ailment will not have to worry about obtaining or keeping coverage.
"The members of the state Assembly have already moved forward, now I ask the members of the Senate to do the same. This will provide comfort and stability for people all across Wisconsin."
This, of course, does not sound like a Governor who doesn't care about cancer patients, but hey, why let the truth get in the way of a good smear, huh?