You may remember the fight to retain Senior Care this past summer when the feds wanted to replace it with Medicare Part D. The program is due to expire again in 2009 and the state is gearing up for another fight.
The state senate approved an advisory referendum for the November 2008 election that would let voters cast a ballot for Senior Care.
State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) hopes the outcome will send a strong message to the feds that Senior Care is a popular program that actually works.
In fact he wishes the message would be so strong the feds would decide to use the state's plan as a national model. Hansen says it's a better plan because there are lower premiums, no "doughnut holes", less paperwork and a chance to negotiate prescription drug prices.
The Assembly still has to approve the referendum but Hansen thinks saving Senior Care is a non- partisan issue.