When two of western Wisconsin’s landmark hospitals announced their closures earlier this year due to financial distress, thousands of families were left with nowhere to turn for essential and emergency care. The troubling fate of both St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls and Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire is a stark reminder that rural health is at a breaking point. And it underscores what’s really at stake in this election season.
With more than one in 10 Wisconsinites struggling to pay off medical debt while affording basic necessities, such as groceries and gas, the cost of health care in the state is unsustainable. Many others grapple with high premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs that make even routine care feel out of reach. In fact, according to a 2023 survey of more than 1,100 Wisconsin adults, four in five worry about affording health care in the future, and more than half report delaying or going without care due to cost. The sudden loss of critical health care facilities only compounds these challenges, especially for rural and underserved communities.
Health care is on the ballot this November, and Wisconsin voters need to prioritize candidates who are committed to safeguarding access to affordable, high-quality care for all. This means supporting policies aimed at curbing the troubling trend of health care consolidation and mega-mergers, which is driving skyrocketing costs and forcing smaller community hospitals out of business.
The recent closures in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls are part of a broader pattern affecting rural hospitals nationwide. Since 2005, more than 190 rural hospitals nationwide have shut their doors, leaving many communities without access to basic health services. If this trend continues, millions of Americans will be left scrambling to find care that’s both accessible and affordable.
And when it comes to ensuring Wisconsinites don’t have to choose between putting food on the table and affording vital health insurance, voting for a candidate who will support extending the Inflation Reduction Act’s enhanced tax credits will prove to be lifeline for many. If Congress does not extend these tax credits, thousands in the state could see their premiums rise by hundreds or thousands of dollars per year, pushing them further into debt or forcing them to go without coverage altogether.
Health care affordability and access should be top of mind for voters on Nov. 5, but so too should women’s rights to essential health and reproductive services. When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, state politicians were emboldened to impose more restrictions on reproductive health. This left many Wisconsin women in a precarious position, forcing them to travel long distances for the care they need or forego potentially life-saving care.
While the state Supreme Court restored access to abortion, Republicans also want to put broader women’s health services at risk, impacting everything from access to contraception to critical maternal health care. This election is a pivotal moment to stand up for women’s rights and ensure that women across Wisconsin are empowered to make decisions about their own bodies without government interference.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s important for voters to look beyond Vice President Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric and evaluate them based on their actual records. This year’s election is unique in that each candidate has a clear footprint of health care policies they enacted in the executive branch and elsewhere — a reliable bellwether on what plans they would champion if they were to assume the presidency.
Take a close look to see if either candidate has supported policies to extend premium tax credits and prevent rural hospital closures. What steps have they taken to protect women’s reproductive rights? And what are their records when it comes to expanding affordable, quality coverage for families across the nation?
The past is prologue, and with so much on the line in this election our attention should be centered not on what both candidates say, but what they did.
In just a few short weeks, voters in Wisconsin will have the power to decide which direction our health care system will take. Before entering the polling booth, we urge you to think about your family’s health care needs, your ability to afford and access care—and the rights of every woman in this state. Make your voice heard. This year, it counts more than ever.
Robert Kraig is executive director of Wisconsin Citizen Action. Anthony Wright is executive director of Families USA Action.
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