A sign for the Oneida Community Health Center in Hobart, Wis. | Photo by Jason Kerzinski for Wisconsin Examiner

Wisconsin state Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Oconto) and Rep. Joy Goeben (R-Hobart) heard concerns about potential Medicaid cuts and gambling at a listening session Monday in Oneida, Wis. 

A woman at the session said her son receives Medicaid through the Katie Beckett program, which serves children under 19 who live at home and have certain health care needs. She said that “with the $880 billion that is going to be reduced in the federal budget, it is without a doubt going to impact Medicaid in our state.” 

A budget proposal approved by the House in late February requires lawmakers to cut spending to offset tax breaks, likely requiring Medicaid cuts, KFF Health News reported. The committee that oversees spending on Medicaid and Medicare is instructed to cut $880 billion over the next decade.

The Congressional Budget Office found House Republicans’ budget goals would require cuts to Medicaid, CBS News reported on March 6. 

The woman said she’s wondering what’s happening in the state budget to “plan for these shortcomings that are going to be coming from the federal level.” 

“I don’t know on the federal side, what’s going on there,” Wimberger said. “…I can’t imagine that we’d let any sort of tragedy happen to people who—if there’s a cut of any kind, so we’ll have to adjust to it.”

Medicaid is funded by both federal and state governments. Proposals that would reduce the amount of money paid by the federal government would not require states to pay more to make up the difference, and most states will not likely increase their health care spending, according to an opinion article by the president of the health policy research and news outlet KFF.  

Wimberger is a member of the state Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, which is responsible for reviewing state appropriations and revenues. The committee will hold listening sessions on April 2 in Kaukauna, April 4 in West Allis, April 28 in Hayward and April 29 in Wausau.

Oneida Nation requests anti-gambling efforts, grant funding

Brandon Stevens, the vice-chairman of the Oneida Nation in northeast Wisconsin, spoke at the listening session. One topic discussed was online and in-person gambling. 

In Wisconsin, tribes have the exclusive right to operate Class III games, through compacts with the state. Class III includes banking card games, electronic games of chance, including slot machines and, generally, high-stakes, casino-style games. 

Tana Aguirre from the Oneida Nation’s intergovernmental affairs and communications office sent the Examiner a statement that covers a few of the tribe’s budget priorities. 

The Oneida Nation is requesting an increase in funding to help address illegal/unregulated gambling activities, according to Aguirre. The tribe requests compliance and/or enforcement measures “to help deal with illegal gambling machines and practices throughout Wisconsin.” 

“We’re paying a premium for exclusivity through the gaming compact [between the tribe and the state]. It’s basically a violation of the compact if they’re allowed to game at a particular level,” Stevens said. 

Aguirre said the Oneida Nation and other tribes want to see increased funding for a tribal elderly transportation grant program. The grant gives the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes financial assistance for transportation services for tribal elders on and off the reservation. 

The Oneida Nation also wants funding to go toward an intergovernmental training program, Aguirre said. 

The program “is meant to enhance the skill set and understanding between state and tribal officials.” It aims to promote the different governments engaging in “meaningful and productive” consultations and discussions. 

Aguirre said that for the items included in his email, the tribe is requesting that funding come from Oneida Nation gaming revenue that the state of Wisconsin receives.

Tribes submit gaming-related payments to the state. A variety of state programs receive state funding from tribal payments, such as gaming regulation in the Department of Administration and law enforcement in the Department of Justice. Gaming revenue has been put toward tribal family services grants, a tribal law enforcement grant program and other programs.