2-6-15 disability rights group-budget

The group Disability Rights Wisconsin is criticizing the governor’s proposed budget.   Public Policy director Lisa Pugh says the budget proposes a huge change in the way Family Care is administered that would affect thousands of people.  Pugh says the program would be basically transformed to operate as an insurance entity.  “Changes that are being proposed in the governor’s budget  would really turn Family Care into more of an insurance program,”  Pugh told AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program.  “…and would open the program up to for-profit out of state insurance companies which we have some concerns about losing some of that local control, local understanding of peoples needs.”  Pugh says the budget also eliminates IRIS, a self directed program the provides disabled people with control over their own budgets.  She says she is also concerned about  the governor’s proposal to reduce the personal care services program by $19 million.