LWV Article for The Bottom Line News and Views August 2019
/In League
By Jan Penn, Board Member, and Anne Chartier, President - League of Women Voters of Ashland and Bayfield Counties
Current healthcare access, coverages and protections offered by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are at grave risk of ending should the Texas Federal Appeals Court move to invalidate the entire ACA, and the decision were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Should this occur almost every Wisconsin citizen would be impacted.
If the law were struck down, the following provisions would be eliminated:
· Guaranteed coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions, impacting over 2 million Wisconsinites
· Prohibition of price discrimination against those with pre-existing conditions, including pregnancy, cancer, etc.
· Free coverage of preventative care such as mammograms and colonoscopies for 2.8 million Wisconsinites
· Mental health parity
· Prohibition of gender and age discrimination in pricing
· Prohibition of lifetime and annual care limits
· Substance abuse coverage
· Resources and funds to hold insurance companies accountable to regulation
· Entire health coverage for 153,000 Wisconsinites
What can you do to protect yourself, family and neighbors? You have a voice and that voice needs to be heard in Madison by those in the State Legislature, and by elected officials in Washington. While the decision now rests with the courts, those we have elected to represent us are responsible for initiating actions within their power to secure the provisions of the ACA.
The State and Federal Legislatures have a moral obligation to protect the people of Wisconsin and America from harm. Children, people living with disabilities and complex health issues, and the elderly are the most vulnerable citizens. In a caring democracy the moral responsibility for those most at risk is clear. In addition, research strongly supports investment in preventative care, health screening and early care as key elements in reducing total health costs. 2019 Poverty reports for Wisconsin show a continued increase in poverty among those over 65, largely due to growing medical costs not covered by Medicare. There are moral and economic considerations demanding protection of the ACA!
The League of Women Voters’ consensus on health care supports health equity. We ask that you contact your elected officials in Madison and Washington, D.C. asking that they support the above action and commit to bipartisan discussions to ensure that Wisconsin citizens continue to be afforded the ACA protections and provisions regardless of Federal Appeals and Supreme Court actions.
The League of Women Voters of Ashland and Bayfield Counties is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. Get in touch with the local League at http://www.lwvabcwi.org/ or info@lwvabcwi.org.
To find out more about the League’s position on health care, go to the League of Women Voters’ US website: https://www.lwv.org/other-issues/health-care-reform.
