GOP-led Legislature expected to reject Gov. Walker’s state self-insurance plan

Budget talks have stalled amid school funding, roads and taxes.

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed switch to a self-insurance plan for state workers is expected to be rejected by the Legislature’s budget-writing committee. 

The Thursday vote on self-insurance by the Joint Finance Committee comes in its first meeting in two weeks. Budget talks have stalled amid disagreements over K-12 school funding, roads and taxes. 

The panel wasn’t taking up any of those issues Thursday, but in addition to self-insurance the committee did plan to vote on prison-related issues, including hiring more guards at the troubled Lincoln Hills youth facility. 

Walker has been lobbying for his self-insurance proposal, under which 250,000 state workers and their families are insured by the state rather than purchasing coverage through private HMOs. The state would assume the risk for medical claims that exceed premiums.