WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Citizen Action Wisconsin held several rallies across the state on Monday to encourage residents to call their lawmakers in support of accepting federal dollars to expand BadgerCare.
“This is not a partisan issue, this is a people issue,” said Marathon County Supervisor John Robinson, who spoke at the rally alongside Lincoln County Supervisor Paul Gilk. “It is the issue of who has access to health care and at what point in their illness do they have access?”
Robinson says by accepting the federal dollars to expand BadgerCare the healthcare costs for many will actually decrease. “They’ll have access to healthcare earlier. People without healthcare tend to delay accessing [treatment] or they tend to go in when the care is urgent.”
Around three dozen people attended the Wausau rally despite rainy conditions in the downtown area.
Gilk noted that Lincoln County supervisors recently passed a measure encouraging the state to accept the federal money on a unanimous voice vote. He called that a sign that even those who normally take a conservative stance on issues have been frustrated with a lack of action.
“There is a growing sense of unease at best regarding how the legislature is operating,” said Glik.
Robinson says by accepting the federal money, which he notes has already been paid for by Wisconsin residents as part of their federal taxes, more state money would be available to be spent elsewhere.
“That $325 million could be used to give more dollars to physicians or nursing homes, expand behavioral health services, and a number of other services that will improve the quality of life for residents in the state.”
An estimated 80,000 residents would gain access to coverage if the money is accepted.
The move has been a priority for Democratic Governor Tony Evers, however Republicans in the Senate and Assembly have maintained that residents should stay on private insurance.
Similar rallies were held in other cities such as Madison, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Milwaukee, and Minocqua.
