February 20th
Shawano Dems’ Meeting
Shawano Civic Center
7:00 PM
We were hoping to
have Judge Lisa Neubauer speak about her candidacy for Supreme Court
Justice but unfortunately she had to cancel. However, we will have an
informative program.
Our speaker will be Barbara Mendoza, the Executive Director of the non-profit F.R.E.S.H Project, The projects mission is to increase the physical access to Food, create Resources where good food can be found, provide Educational events, increase food Security and bring about good Health. This project has been promoting community engagement to meet its goals.
February 15th
Senator Rob Cowles’ Listening Session
Shawano Civic Center
4:30-6:00 PM
This is a chance for you make your opinions known before the state budget is debated.
February 14th
WTCH-AM 960 & 96.1 FM Breakfast Club
8:00-900 AM
The Shawano Dems will be on the air. The topic for this month is healthcare. Below is an op-ed which will be printed in the Shawano Leader.
BETTER HEALTHCARE NEEDED
The private insurance market has had a strong hold on American’s healthcare for decades.
Americans have had to deal with high deductibles, co-pays and no maximum caps in their insurance plans. Patients who suffered from pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions have been denied coverage.
Americans have had to deal with high deductibles, co-pays and no maximum caps in their insurance plans. Patients who suffered from pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions have been denied coverage.
Back in 2008 when the costs for healthcare insurance
were skyrocketing, the Democrats in Congress felt the need to help those who
couldn’t get the health care they so desperately needed. Although they
thought the best solution was a government single payer tax-funded plan, they
compromised and settled for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which kept private
insurance companies in the loop.
The developing countries of the world have better
healthcare systems than the United States. The Legtum Institute, a London
based research institute, recently identified the top countries with the best
healthcare systems. The United States ranked 30th.
The quality of healthcare in the institute’s study
was measured by three key components: a country’s basic mental and
physical health, health infrastructure, and the availability of preventative
care. Many of the countries with the best healthcare rankings had
universal healthcare and required mandatory health insurance for all its
citizens.
Government’s job is to fill the gaps when the
private market isn’t meeting the needs of its people. The ACA legislation
allowed states to accept federal funds to help low-income individuals afford
health insurance. Up until now Wisconsin has not accepted the hundreds of
millions in Medicaid funds for BadgerCare. Accepting the available funds
would be an important step to achieving healthcare for all.
Many Americans under 65 would like healthcare which
has the benefits of Medicare. In Wisconsin one plan could be a “Public
Option” for both individuals and employers of large or small businesses.
According to Citizen’s Action, a promoter of the program, the cost would
be less per person than private insurance.
Today there are many who face a constant threat of
having their lives devastated by health disasters which could easily become
financial disasters. Many with pre-existing conditions are worried that
they will not be able to get insurance in the future. Everyone
should have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that affordable
healthcare will be there when it is needed.
Americans have said overwhelmingly that they don’t
like our present healthcare system. 70% have said they would rather have
a plan like Medicare for All.
Change can invoke fear. There was resistance
when the government first introduced the idea of Social Security and Medicare.
There might be some apprehension if we go away from
private insurance’s domination of our healthcare. But isn’t coverage for
every American worth it?
