GOP leaders chide Wis Medical Society over PCF transfer
Three Assembly leaders told doctors statewide that the Wisconsin Medical Society's apparent willingness to support a $100 million transfer out of the Patients Compensation Fund in a January memo to the Doyle administration undercut Republican efforts to protect it.
Speaker Mike Huebsch, Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald and Joint Finance Co-Chair Kitty Rhoades wrote in the letter to 14,000 doctors last week that Assembly Republicans and WMS worked together in the previous two budgets to reject proposed transfers from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund.
"However, our efforts during the most recent budget negotiations were not successful and you need to know why," they wrote.
They wrote they were not prepared to counter remarks WMS made to Doyle's budget negotiators in the January memo and singled out one line: "The Society is excited to partner with the Governor as he faces a difficult budget, and is pleased to continue collaboration with the Department of Administration."
"As you can well imagine, our ability to effectively argue against an IPFCF transfer is greatly diminished when the organization representing those who would be most affected by the transfer of funds out of the IPFCF changes course," the three wrote in the letter, which included a copy of the January memo.
WMS lobbyist Mark Grapentine said those who voted for the budget likely weren't prepared for the reaction but declined to speculate on the lawmakers' motivation for writing the letter.
Grapentine said the society's talks with the Doyle administration have been distorted and continued to insist the WMS in no way offered to give up any money from the fund. The WMS has filed suit over the transfer.
"The letter clearly only tells a small portion of the entire story, and that's what's disappointing," Grapentine said.
See the letter here
