Evers, Walker at odds over health care in Wisconsin

Scott Walker says serving a third term as Wisconsin’s governor would help him complete many of his policies for the state.

During the last days of his re-election campaign, however, Walker also told voters that if he doesn’t win Tuesday, there are other paths he can take personally.

“God made me to do many different things,” Walker said Monday in La Crosse, “and just happens to be on temporarily being your governor but my life is independent on what my title is. God’s got a better plan for me every day.”

As the governor campaign comes to an end, Walker is being criticized for saying — an apparent last-minute shift — he wants to protect people with pre-existing conditions.

Walker says he will guarantee the same protections that already exist under the Affordable Care Act — a law Walker is suing to stop in federal court.

“He’s continuing to talk out of both sides of his mouth,” Democratic challenger Tony Evers said. “Now, he’s making this promise that’s, frankly, completely the opposite of what he’s doing in federal court in Texas.

Despite Walker’s pronouncement about adopting ObamaCare language, the GOP governor has not asked the state to withdraw from a federal lawsuit that would invalidate those protections for pre-existing conditions. Wisconsin is one of 20 GOP-led states are included in that lawsuit.

Regardless, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch said Monday with Walker at a campaign stop to the Dakota Supply Group in La Crosse, that the governor really is looking out for patients with pre-existing conditions.

She said Walker has the votes in the legislature to back up his proposal.

“You’re good,” she said. “That person you have in your heart right now, they’re good, because Gov. Scott Walker has their back and he always has.”

The governor race is a virtual tie heading into Tuesday’s vote.

Walker said it should not be close, however, because how much his team has improved the state in eight years.

The governor said lies by the opposition have made the contest close.

“Even though a large majority — about a 15 percent margin — believe we’re heading in the right direction, it’s because that lie about pre-existing conditions,” Walker said. “Once we get the facts out, person to person, says, ‘OK, now I know the truth. I’m ready to go, vote for you on Tuesday.'”

Evers said he’s stayed consistent with his commitment to increased access to health care in the state, including accepting federal Medicaid expansion money that Walker has so far refused.