New Report Shows Wisconsin Could Save $1.8 billion Under National Health Care Reform
ByFindings Show Wisconsin Families & Businesses Have Huge Stake in
Congress Guaranteeing a Choice of Public Health Insurance
Milwaukee, WI - On a Thursday morning media call, Citizen Action of Wisconsin released a new report documenting how much Wisconsin families and businesses could save under national health care reform proposals now being debated in Congress and promoted by President Obama. Speakers on the call included Congressman Steve Kagen, State Senator Jon Erpenbach, and State Representative Jon Richards. Also speaking on the media call was Holly Dziondziak, a Wisconsin resident who has struggled with high health care costs and inadequate coverage since her employer closed its doors.
The new Citizen Action report, “Wisconsin Cost Saving under National Health Care Reform,” finds that Wisconsin family health insurance policies could drop as much as 33%, and Wisconsin employers could save as much as $1.8 billion per year. The report also finds that these savings would be far less if Congress does not include the choice of a public health insurance plan, which has been described as the most explosive issue in the national health care reform debate.
The full report can be downloaded at www.citizenactionwi.org
“The findings of this report show that a seemingly technical debate taking place in Washington will have tremendous financial implications for Wisconsin families and businesses,” said Robert Kraig, program director for Citizen Action of Wisconsin and the author of the report. “Wisconsin has a huge stake in the upcoming debate over national health care reform. Whether or not the increasingly unsustainable burden of skyrocketing health care costs will be relieved here in Wisconsin will be determined in the next few weeks,” concluded Kraig.
“This report shows that we can have much better coverage for a lower price,” said U.S. Congressman Steve Kagen, MD (D-Green Bay). “We need a system where there is no discrimination against people with preexisting conditions. We need to end the insurance industry practice of cherry picking healthy consumers, and assure that everyone has access to affordable high quality coverage.”
“We have been working hard in Wisconsin to assure that everyone has the same health care choices that Legislators have and the Governor has,” said State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee). “This report shows how vital it is that people have a choice of a public health insurance option to bring health care costs down,” Erpenbach concluded.
“Too many people have too few choices today, and if you have a preexisting condition, heaven help you,” said Representative Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee). “The report shows how important the choice of public health insurance option is to reducing costs. With all the bankruptcies such as GM and Chrysler, we can’t keep doing things the same way,” Richards continued. “We in the Legislature are keeping a close eye to make sure the emerging plan in Washington reduces costs, has standards, and promotes wellness.”
Also speaking on the media call was Holly Dziondziak, a resident of Elm Grove who has struggled with
access to affordable and comprehensive health care coverage since the Kohl’s grocery store chain shut down. After losing her job Holly did the right thing and purchased health insurance on the individual market. However, she could only afford catastrophic insurance. When she severely broke her leg in 28 places, Holly ended up with $22,000 in medical debt, and is now unable to find coverage that includes her preexisting condition. She now can’t afford critical ongoing treatments for her injury. “I believe that my case is not uncommon, it is becoming more and more common,” observed Dziondziak.
“The huge stakes of the national health care debate for Wisconsin show how essential it is for everyone to get involved in the discussion, and express their views to our Congressional delegation,” concluded Linda Honold, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
Posted @ 12:35 p.m.
