Communities defend health care for the poor

Feb. 16 rally demands accessible health care for all.

Service Employees Local 1 kicked off their “Hands Off BadgerCare” campaign Feb. 16 in Milwaukee. Gathering outside the Aurora Sinai Medical Center at noon, more than 100 community members, students, union members and leaders demanded that Gov. Scott Walker’s planned cuts on behalf of Wall Street to BadgerCare — a unique program in Wisconsin that allows access to health care services for poor and working people — be stopped immediately.

Under the 2011-13 state budget, the Department of Health Services has the sole authority to make sweeping cuts to Medicaid and BadgerCare. Walker, other right-wing members of the DHS and the Wisconsin Legislature want to cut more than $550 million from BadgerCare. If passed, 263,000 BadgerCare recipients would face increased co-pays and reduced benefits. The austerity budget would slash 64,000 people from the program entirely, almost half of whom would be children.

At the Feb. 16 rally, a diverse cross section of community members testified about how BadgerCare coverage has saved their lives and the lives of their loved ones. After the speakout, a spirited picket line took place, with protesters chanting “Hands Off BadgerCare!” and demanding that the 1% pay.

To help stop the cuts, call 800-362-9472 to tell legislators “Hands Off BadgerCare; Make the Rich Pay.” For more information, visit wisconsinjobsnow.org.

Report and photo by Bryan G. Pfeifer