Key Call To Make This Month for Women's Health

 

The squeaky wheel gets the grease and if you feel strongly about an issue, it's critical to speak up and make a call.  Here's our suggested call this month to make a difference for women's health:

 

Call Governor Walker &

ask him expand Medicaid!

(608) 266-1212

 

In the last state budget, the Governor and legislature decided against taking part in the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion. Instead, the state removed nearly 63,000 parents and caretakers with income over the poverty line from BadgerCare in order to cover nearly 82,000 adults without dependent children with incomes below the poverty line. Medicaid Expansion would have placed the eligibility for all adults at 138% of the poverty level and brought in nearly a half billion dollars in federal funding to the state program through FY 2020 and covered roughly 96,000 more people under BadgerCare than the current budget. The state still has the ability to opt-in to Medicaid Expansion and cover more people with enhanced federal funding at any time in the future.  Call Governor Walker today and let him know you support expanding and strengthening Medicaid in Wisconsin.

 

For more information:

Kaiser Family Foundation - The Coverage Gap Issue Brief

National Women's Law Center Blog Post - The Coverage Gap Poses Risks to Low Income Women's Health

Where all States Stand on Expansion

Raising the Status of Wisconsin Women's Health

An update from Wisconsin's women's health policy leader

As a Women's Health Advocate, here are the 5 Things to Know for June!

State Leaders Seeking Your Feedback on the Well Woman Program Last December, the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced proposed changes to the Wisconsin Well Woman Program that were quickly opposed by women's health providers, advocates and patients.  Fortunately DHS has halted their initial proposal and is now welcoming input from the public.  Those interested in weighing in on the future of the program that provides cervical and breast cancer screenings to women in need, should  link here to submit their input.

Nominate a Woman of Courage, Character or Commitment As we celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary, we look forward to honoring three individuals as outstanding Wisconsin Women's Health Advocacy Leaders at our Fall Anniversary Event.  Award categories reflect the 2014 National Women's History Month theme, "Celebrating Women of Character, Courage and Commitment" Nominations are due by Friday, July 19th and full nomination information can be found by linking here.

Wisconsin Taxpayers Fund Trial for Medically Unnecessary Regulations Last week, health care experts testified at a trial over Wisconsin Act 37 - a law signed into law by Governor Walker in 2013 that seeks to limit access to abortion.  Unfortunately bills like these are drafted by politicians and not medical experts and now Wisconsin taxpayer dollars are being spent to litigate a law that was opposed by groups like the American Medical Association and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The ruling on this case will made later this summer.

Learn About Our Wisconsin Adolescent Health Care Communication Program  To ensure healthy future generation, adolescents must be able to engage in open, honest and medically accurate discussions about sensitive health topics with their health care providers.  Yet in reality, providers and teens don't always speak the same language.  This program is an intervention designed to bridge the communication gap between adolescents and their health care providers.  Learn more about this program at:  www.wahccp.org.  .

Special Marketplace Enrollment Period Available for Those Eligible 

While the official Open Enrollment Period into the Marketplace is over for 2014, there are special qualifying circumstances like having a baby or getting married that allow you to still apply for health care coverage.  A new screener tool has been developed to help you find out if you qualify to get coverage outside of Open Enrollment.   Link here to find out if you're eligible for this Special Enrollment Period.