The Governor's Healthy Wisconsin Council meets today to draft recommendations on improving health care coverage in the state.
Wayne Corey of the Wisconsin Independent Businesses organization is on the council. He says the mission is to recommend ways to cut the state's uninsured rate in half and health insurance premiums for individuals and businesses by 30-per cent.
One idea is for insurance carriers to pool catastrophic risk insurance especially for small businesses. Corey says the theory is, a pool would help stabilize insurance rates. The other idea is the governor's pet project of expanding Badger care for children.
But a proposal on the table to pay for all this goes against the governor's pledge not to raise taxes. Raising the cigarette tax, as much as a dollar a pack. Corey says there is some support on the council for that but he doesn't know how much.
The council's recommendations go to the governor who then decides whether to make them part of his biennium budget proposal.