Posted on 10/20/2020 10:01:31 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
This past spring, the State of Wisconsin received almost $2 billion from the federal CARES Act to help it manage the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Gov. Evers made a big promise to Wisconsin’s hospitals.
“Approximately $445 million is being allocated to ensure Wisconsin hospital systems and communities are prepared to handle a surge of COVID19 patients over the summer and fall,” Evers announced on May 19th.
That was in addition to $40 million for ventilators, $150 million for PPE, and $40 million to help compensate for lost revenue – which hospitals began receiving in June.
As for the $445 million to help them prepare for the worst – the months rolled by while the hospitals waited. Finally, in August, Congressman Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) started asking questions.
He found that even though Gov. Evers had obligated $1.72 billion of the federal funds, only $75 million had actually been disbursed. Steil wanted to know why the governor was sitting on $1.6 billion that was supposed to be helping address an ongoing crisis.
“I supported the CARES Act to provide much needed relief. It is important we have clear, up-to-date information on where CARES Act dollars have been spent and how the state intends to spend remaining funds,” Steil said in a statement.
Evers replied that the Treasury report Steil referenced “does not reflect funds that have been committed through programming and expenditures announced but not yet fully implemented, orders placed for which invoices are not yet received, or reimbursements to local governments who have not yet submitted their expenses.”
However, as more time passed, it became increasingly clear that the $445 million was still sitting in the state’s coffers. In October, as hospitals began to complain that they were overwhelmed with COVID patients, Evers indicated that the $445 million was largely untapped.
Despite warning of an impending surge of COVID patients in the fall, the only preparations the Evers Administration apparently made was spending $15 million on an additional care facility (ACF) in Milwaukee.
“Funding for the ACF will come from the $445 million surge reserve fund set aside by Gov. Evers to ensure the ability of Wisconsin hospital systems and communities to handle a surge of COVID-19 cases,” Evers said in an Oct. 7 press release.
Note, Evers was now saying the $445 million was “set aside” to “handle.” In May he said it was “being allotted” to be “prepared.” There appear to be no records, reports, or press releases indicating the money was ever sent to or received by the Wisconsin hospital system.
In September, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau published a review of how Wisconsin was using the CARES Act money. The $445 million is described as the “Hospital and Community Preparedness Reserve” – another indication that Evers is sitting on the funds.
The Department of Administration has a website that tracks CARES Act spending in Wisconsin. Only $665 million is accounted for – none of it targeted towards preparing hospitals for a surge.
MacIver News asked the Evers Administration if that $445 million was ever sent out and how hospitals used it to make preparations for the current surge. No response was received.
The Wisconsin Hospital Association was also contacted for comment in the story, but did not respond.
The US Treasury will release an updated report this month.
Wisconsin Socialist Democrat Governor at work. See if you can find what YOUR state did with the influx of CASH from the Feds. I'll bet Your Tax Dollars were sent to Pet Projects or flat-out STOLEN, too!
Probably went to Antifa and BLM.
I saw a commercial for masks on late-night TV the other night.
I’m afraid that not only political entities but now private-sector businesses have a massive economic interest in keeping the fear going as long as possible.
Maybe Hunter got to it first.....
Only half of it; the other half went to the Big Guy.
In Kentucky little king Andy Bershear at the beginning of the lock down by royal decree said EVERYONE in Kentucky regardless of they have health insurance was eligible for state medicaid and thousands applied on top of their work or privately purchased health insurance.
They went to hospitals, doctors, eye doctors, dentist etc... and used their private health insurance and then their medicaid card which in theory should have paid the difference in what their health insurance did not pay for. Medical providers then submitted charges to private health insurance and were paid and then to KY state medicaid and were promptly denied with the explanation this person is not eligible for state medicaid. But the governor said they were and we accepted their medicaid card they appealed.
Wrong, they were financially ineligible for KY state medicaid. To which the medical providers promptly sent the remaining balances owed to the patients, usually 80/20% or 85-15% split for payment. The state medicaid offices promptly told the medical providers you cannot bill KY medicaid recipients for services not paid by KY state medicaid.
So now we have doctors, hospitals, eye doctors, dentist etc... who were looking for payments and now are having to eat those loses thanks to little tin horn dictator in the governors mansion in Frankfort and they are pissed! I know one young dentist who just graduated in the spring and had worked her butt off accepting these medicaid patients only to get $0 for her services, she is furious with little king andy!
“I’m afraid that not only political entities but now private-sector businesses have a massive economic interest in keeping the fear going as long as possible.”
Never let a crisis go to waste, Right?
I’m thinking the same thing on these masks. They have to continue to create a market for them, no doubt.
I have a neck gaiter-type which does NOTHING, but is easy enough to pull up when I’m being swarmed by ‘Karens’ at the Grocery Store. ;)
After the Riots in DC during the RNC,DOJ started tracking the rioters and their flights. They payoff trail was next. The Democrats needed to slow things down.
After deducting overhead and state handling fees there wasn’t much left, so they just ordered pizza.
Most,if not all Covid money is misappropriated,stolen or just simply unused. Covid is the biggest scam and hoax in world history. Sure,it’s real and can be deadly to a very unfortunate select few (as is any flu/virus) but the overall lock down of society is the real killer of EVERYTHING.
When are they going to get enough signatures to recall this clown.
And where is the decision from the St Croix County (WI) judge who heard arguments 2 1/2 weeks ago about Evers’ orders being unconstitutional?
He said he was going to issue a decision “very, very soon”. That time frame passed two days after the hearing, IMO.
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