Poor People’s Campaign on Health Care

On Wednesday, March 22nd, Wisconsinites from across the state gathered at the capitol building, the people’s house, to bring a message to the members of the Joint Finance Committee.

 

• We called on the JFC to use their power in the state budget decision-making process to finally accept Medicaid/BadgerCare expansion and move towards a healthcare system where everyone is in and nobody is left out.
• We delivered the petitions you signed from 59 Counties to their offices, shared powerful testimony about how we and our communities are impacted by their decision to deny healthcare to poor and low income people, and invited them to join us on April 20th for our virtual forum, People’s Voice on Healthcare.

And afterwards, we gathered at St. John’s church to share a meal, strategize together and learn about our rights through the Medicaid requalification process that will begin in July.

“We are told we don’t need Medicaid expansion or that the wave of cutoffs that is about to begin will be all right, because people who can’t get BadgerCare will be able to get employer sponsored plans or will have subsidies for the marketplace [HealthCaredotgov],” Skattum told the crowd. “But these plans often carry unaffordable deductibles or copays like I had. People will avoid medical care like I had to.”

 

Thank you to everyone who signed petitions, participated in the day of action, watched the livestream, and organized to bring the voices of impacted people to the halls of power. We also appreciate the support and participation from EXPO: Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing, WI Fight for $15, Our Wisconsin Revolution, Voces de la Frontera, WISDOM, Madison for a World Beyond War, WI Physicians for a National Health Plan, Starbucks Workers’ United, and many more.

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