Governor-elect Tony Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes have announced their Health Policy Advisory Council that they hope will bring experienced voices from around the state to work with the transition team on health care issues. The council is a diverse group of health care professionals from rural and urban health care settings and community health advocates.
“Expanding access to affordable health care for Wisconsin residents is a top priority for our administration,” said Evers in a statement. “Our Health Policy Advisory Council will help our transition team put together a comprehensive health care plan that takes steps to increase access to health care coverage, like taking the Medicaid expansion dollars, while bringing down costs.”
The council will advise the transition team on policy matters relating to the Department of Health Services, Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, the Department of Employee Trust Funds, and numerous state boards focused on health care.
Health Policy Advisory Council members will include:
◆ Lisa Peyton-Caire, Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness
◆ Dr. Veronica Gunn, CEO Genesis Consulting
◆ Karen Timberlake, Michael Best Strategies, former Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services
◆ Candice Owley, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT VP, RN
◆ Dr. Jane Mahoney, Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging
◆ Barbara Beckert, Disability Rights of Wisconsin
◆ Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, UW Health
◆ Tanya Atkinson, Planned Parenthood
◆ Tim Size, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
◆ Mary Jo Meyers, Milwaukee County Health and Human Services
◆ Mary Neubauer, Mental Health America of Wisconsin
◆ Fabiola Hamdan, Dane County Immigration Specialist
“Voters said loud and clear on election day they want Wisconsin leaders to focus on health care,” said Evers in a statement. “It’s time to end the attacks on the Affordable Care Act so those with pre-existing conditions don’t have to worry about losing coverage and move our state forward on expanding access.”
Evers and Barnes also announced Brian Pahnke as policy director and Jeff Pertl and Jamie Kuhn as policy advisors. Both Pahnke and Pertl currently serve as part of Evers’ team at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and bring extensive experience in policy and state budgeting to the transition team.
