The Wisconsin Medical Society said in a Tuesday release that they are prepared to sue the state if money is diverted from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund to help balance the undecided state budget.
Should the need to sue arise, the group has secured the assistance of Madison attorney Thomas Pyper.
Wisconsin’s 2007-2009 biennial budget currently has no official plan to divert funds from the IPFCF. Still, both Democrats and Republicans admit that this idea is being discussed as a way to balance the budget.
“Everything is on the table at this point and being considered,” said Josh Wescott, spokesperson for state Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit.
Wescott said there is a general compliance on the part of Assembly Republicans to do a transfer from the fund, citing the need for bipartisan compromise in terms of negotiations. He said he cautioned against drawing assumptions on exactly how much money is being considered for the transfer.
“It’s a little too early to jump to conclusions on numbers,” Wescott said, “but the reality is that Republican negotiators along the way have expressed an openness and a willingness to do a transfer out of this fund … it’s for a dollar amount to be determined.”
John Murray, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, stated that if this proposal was signed into law, the financial resources would be used on a short-term basis only.
WMS has said no raids on the fund will be accepted.
“The IPFCF is for injured patients and their families-not for anything else the state decides needs more funding,” said WMS President Clarence M. Chou in a statement.
Wescott stated that hundreds of millions of dollars are needed for things like financial aid for college students and other valuable programs. He said he sees a transfer of funds as one option to fund these items.
“When you’re in a budget situation, there are going to be tough decisions and tough choices, and when you’re looking at trying to fix and find common ground … somewhere you gotta come up with money to pay the bills,” Wescott said.
Pyper said WMS will not let the funds go without a fight.
“We have been working closely with [WMS] to prepare a vigorous defense of this Fund if we need to,” Pyper said in a statement.
