Organization speaks out on state lawmakers’ decision to not expand BadgerCare coverage

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - A Wis. organization is speaking out on state lawmakers’ decision to not expand BadgerCare coverage.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin hosted a press conference at the Chippewa Valley Free Clinic in Eau Claire Wednesday to talk about the ramifications of stripping Badger Care from the state budget.

Last week, the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee declined federal Medicaid funding, making Wis. only one of ten states not accepting federal help.

The Executive Director of Chippewa Valley Free Clinic, Maribeth Woodford, says health care is a right everyone should have access to.

“What about the cost of insulin, inhalers, heart medications? Are we telling them to cut their meds or skip days? Or are we telling the working poor to limit their hours and their wages so perhaps they can drop to below 100% of the federal poverty level so they can then have reasonable health care benefits?” Woodford said.

Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee Representative, Mark Born, responded in part quote, “Removing tens of thousands of individuals from private insurance plans and putting them on Medicaid is not the solution to making health care more affordable. Republicans will continue to prioritize investments in our health care system to work towards making health care more affordable.”

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