Click to send a letter to legislators to roll back the cuts to BadgerCare
Feb 16 – Well over 100 concerned citizens gathered outside of Aurora Sinai hospital to call on Governor Scott Walker, head of the Department of Health Services, Dennis Smith, and the Wisconsin Legislature to roll back the upcoming cuts to BadgerCare. Under Governor Walker’s biennial budget, the DHS now has the sole authority to make sweeping cuts and changes to Medicaid and BadgerCare. Walker and Smith have used their new authority to propose $554 million in cuts to BadgerCare. The new cuts would negatively affect 263,000 BadgerCare recipients by reducing their benefits and by increasing co-pays. More shockingly, the cuts will cause up to 64,000 people – almost half of which are children – to lose their coverage entirely.
But why?
Wisconsin Medicaid programs face a $141 million shortfall in state money over the next year and a half. Last year Walker pushed through millions in tax cuts for his wealthy pals that will put a $142 million hole in the 2011-2013 budget. In addition, the Walker/Smith administration turned back millions in federal healthcare funding to upgrade computer systems, improve efficiency, and implement a statewide insurance exchange. Their reason for rejecting the funding is that it would weaken their case against the President’s Affordable Care Act.
Although 1% Walker likes to talk about how broke Wisconsin is, we can clearly afford to save BadgerCare. In order to do so, the governor must shift his priorities from partisanship and tax breaks to people’s well being. It was in light of this situation that citizens have galvanized to save BadgerCare.
Dedicated Wisconsinites kicked off their campaign on Feb 16 by demonstrating how important our award-winning program is to the community. Speakers shared the ways that their families have been saved by BadgerCare and how, if they’re forced off the program, they will struggle to get by. The crowd marched around Aurora Sinai, which serves a large proportion of BadgerCare recipients, and wheeled a gurney piled with life-saving medical supplies that they stand to lose when the cuts take effect.
The most important take away from the day’s events is that we must take action, because it’s not too late. As of this writing, over 2,500 letters have been sent from all corners of the state to our legislators. The writers are demanding that our representatives in Madison roll back the BadgerCare cuts and fund the program by rescinding Governor Walker’s tax breaks to the wealthy. Send your letter today, because the more momentum we can build now, the more likely we are to roll back these damaging cuts and make Wisconsin a sanctuary for people, not profit.
