Walker talks drug testing for medicaid recipients after La Crosse visit

Walker says, “We, literally, put our money where out mouth is.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he’s just trying to help.

The governor, on WIZM Tuesday afternoon after a visit to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, answered questions about his plan to drug test Medicaid recipients, promising the move is not meant to be punitive.

“When people get that we’re not kicking people off if someone fails to pass a drug test,” he explained on WIZM Tuesday afternoon. “We, literally, put our money where our mouth is. We put money aside for rehabilitation services so that we can get people free of drug addiction and get them back into the workforce.”

Walker is seeking a waiver from the feds to allow drug testing for Medicaid recipients. If approved, Wisconsin would be the first in the nation to institute such a program.

Medicaid is a jointly funded, federal-state health insurance program for low-income and needy people. It covers children, the aged, blind and/or disabled, along with others who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments.

Walker repeatedly brought up drug testing for medicaid recipients and relating that to a person getting a job.

“I just know with basic employ-ability skills, and being healthy and clean from drug addiction, even for those individuals, and I set money aside from rehab, if I can get them healthy, I can find them a job,” Walker said. “The best way to help someone is not make them permanently indebted to the government through assistance … What we’re really trying to do is get people back up on their feet again.”

Walker plans to release a full plan later this month to ask the feds for the waiver.