Long-term care advocates say they’re still worried about the future of Wisconsin’s IRIS program, despite assurances from Republicans that they won’t get rid of it.
IRIS lets people with disabilities hire their own caregivers. Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposed ending the program and moving participants into a statewide HMO run by private insurers instead. However, the Republican co-chairs of the Legislature’s budget committee told reporters last week they would reject the governor’s changes.
Julie Burish said her daughter has Down Syndrome and is using IRIS to learn life skills and become more self-sufficient. Burish said she worries that would go away without IRIS.
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“We get to prioritize, and that would never happen under a managed care organization,” said Burish.
Burish said that although the committee co-chairs declared they wouldn’t end the program, they didn’t rule out putting it under the control of a private insurer. Details of the new GOP plan should come out in the next couple weeks.
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