Members of one health care group are remembering people they say died because of a lack of health insurance, and voicing their support for a referendum on November’s ballot.

The Eau Claire for Health Care Coalition first formed in May, and says it wants to see comprehensive health care reform in Wisconsin. And they used simple chalk outlines to make a powerful message.

"We used the chalk outlines to symbolize these people that died for lack of health care, to try to personalize it,” Tom Ahrens with Citizen Action of Wisconsin said. And that number includes about 11 people from the Chippewa Valley.

Bob Losby owns and operates a local painting business. He got hurt and couldn't work for months, but he says he just can't afford health insurance.

“It would be really nice if we could get some kind of structure in place where we could have some kind of help where it could be affordable,” Losby said.

And even though a 2005 ranking of healthiest Wisconsin counties puts Eau Claire County third from the top, the coalition says a federal study finds physician costs in Eau Claire are the third highest in the nation.

"Less and less people are able to access the health care system and we want it accessible to everyone,” Ahrens said.

The November ballot referendum asks this question: Should the Wisconsin Legislature establish a plan that will reduce health care costs by at least 15-percent and guarantee access to universal, affordable health care coverage for all Wisconsin individuals and families by 2008?

Losby says he thinks the referendum would help a lot of hard-working people in our area, who know the risk of not having health insurance.

"You just kind of, you take a chance and you're rolling the dice basically,” Losby said.

The coalition is also sponsoring an upcoming health care forum where it'll present three models for change. It's being held August 31st from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Delong Middle School. That forum will be free and open to the public.