MONROE - Cover the Uninsured, a health care seminar held Monday at Monroe Clinic's Founders Hall, gave local, state and national leaders an opportunity to tout advances made toward providing health care for all Wisconsinites.
"There's not a one-size-fits-all solution," state Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said at the event. The steps are to "make sure 100 percent of citizens are covered and then to drive down the prices," he said.
Davis said Wisconsin will be able to cover 98 percent of its residents and is dedicated to covering the remaining 2 percent.
"We need to know who they are and how they need coverage," he said.
BALDWIN: HEALTH CARE VICTORIES
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, discussed the Health Care Partnership Through Creative Federalism Act, that she and Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., introduced in July 2006. Baldwin said the bill empowers states to initiate both conservative and progressive approaches to improve health care coverage.
Congress would "watch and see which ones work better," she said. A set of proposals gleaned from the tested and compared approaches then would be submitted to Congress for consideration for a federal health care bill.
Wisconsin's Badger Care Plus, with bipartisan support, was implemented Feb. 1, 2008. In its first six weeks, 71,000 participants signed up.
"CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) signed off on Badger Care Plus and gave preliminary approval for kids and parents," Baldwin said. "The childless piece is just now looking for approval."
Baldwin also mentioned the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act, the House and Senate versions of the Mental Health Parity Act and the Community Health Care Center Act, as health care victories in Congress.
"The House of Representative increased funding dramatically," Baldwin said of the community health care centers. "Use of community health centers doubled in the past eight years in Wisconsin."
As a superdelegate in the Democratic Party's presidential process, Baldwin said she is backing Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has the "only universal (health care) plan among the three candidates."
Sen. Barack Obama's plan "is universal for children, but not for adults," Baldwin said. Obama criticizes Clinton's plan for penalizing people not following her plan's mandates. Baldwin said there needs to be consequences for not following the mandates, without which the plan would not be not universal.
Sen. John McCain "is not making much comment about health care," she said.
DAVIS: STATE DEVELOPMENTS
Davis spoke about Wisconsin's celebration and dedication to health care.
Wisconsin is making progress and has made a "giant step" through Badger Care Plus, Davis said.
There is some confusion about who qualifies for Badger Care Plus, Davis said. But people without children and individuals with pre-existing conditions are the ones "falling through the cracks."
"The next legislative cycle is to prioritize and help these individuals," he said.
Badger Care also does not cover non-citizens and individuals on business health insurance plans that pay up to 80 percent.
Davis also highlighted the Farmers Health Care Co-op, which he said will become "a model that Green County Healthy Solutions will be able to build off of," he said.
The health insurance co-op passed in 2003 and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle was made possible by legislation advocated by the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. Coverage offered by the Farmers' Health Cooperative began April 1, 2007.
The Farmers Health Co-op doesn't work for everyone, Davis said, but some farmers have been able to reduce their premiums by as much as $300 a month.
JAMES: A HEALTH CARE CO-OP?
Patty James, executive director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is part of Green County Healthy Solutions, which is in the process of forming a cooperative creating insurance options for businesses.
James said the cooperative would work to provide members with stable health coverage, benefits and better information about health care trends and costs.
In a co-op, risks are pooled, and participants would be able to be actively involved and work with the board of directors, James said. She said the coop is looking to include Green and Lafayette counties.
Health care options already in place through Green County Health Department programs include WIC (Women, Infants and Children), infant immunizations, fluoride varnish, blood test screening for lead poisoning, and Well-Woman Clinic for breast and cervical screening of women age 45-64.
WARDEN: DENTAL CARE SUFFERING
Dental care is a health aspect that also was noted as falling through the cracks of government assistance. Poor dental care can impair thinking because of pain, or can cause systemic infections because of untreated dental diseases, said RoAnn Warden, Green County Health Department's assistant director. Dental care is needed for "overall well-being and health," she said.
Green County Healthy Coalition Action Committee is putting together an Oral Health Care Access program through Green County government services. It will be run by volunteers; the committee is in the process of recruiting dentists, hygienists and dental assistants. The program will be funded by donations, grants and fundraisers, and is partnering with SWCAP.
"There's not a one-size-fits-all solution," state Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said at the event. The steps are to "make sure 100 percent of citizens are covered and then to drive down the prices," he said.
Davis said Wisconsin will be able to cover 98 percent of its residents and is dedicated to covering the remaining 2 percent.
"We need to know who they are and how they need coverage," he said.
BALDWIN: HEALTH CARE VICTORIES
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, discussed the Health Care Partnership Through Creative Federalism Act, that she and Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., introduced in July 2006. Baldwin said the bill empowers states to initiate both conservative and progressive approaches to improve health care coverage.
Congress would "watch and see which ones work better," she said. A set of proposals gleaned from the tested and compared approaches then would be submitted to Congress for consideration for a federal health care bill.
Wisconsin's Badger Care Plus, with bipartisan support, was implemented Feb. 1, 2008. In its first six weeks, 71,000 participants signed up.
"CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) signed off on Badger Care Plus and gave preliminary approval for kids and parents," Baldwin said. "The childless piece is just now looking for approval."
Baldwin also mentioned the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act, the House and Senate versions of the Mental Health Parity Act and the Community Health Care Center Act, as health care victories in Congress.
"The House of Representative increased funding dramatically," Baldwin said of the community health care centers. "Use of community health centers doubled in the past eight years in Wisconsin."
As a superdelegate in the Democratic Party's presidential process, Baldwin said she is backing Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has the "only universal (health care) plan among the three candidates."
Sen. Barack Obama's plan "is universal for children, but not for adults," Baldwin said. Obama criticizes Clinton's plan for penalizing people not following her plan's mandates. Baldwin said there needs to be consequences for not following the mandates, without which the plan would not be not universal.
Sen. John McCain "is not making much comment about health care," she said.
DAVIS: STATE DEVELOPMENTS
Davis spoke about Wisconsin's celebration and dedication to health care.
Wisconsin is making progress and has made a "giant step" through Badger Care Plus, Davis said.
There is some confusion about who qualifies for Badger Care Plus, Davis said. But people without children and individuals with pre-existing conditions are the ones "falling through the cracks."
"The next legislative cycle is to prioritize and help these individuals," he said.
Badger Care also does not cover non-citizens and individuals on business health insurance plans that pay up to 80 percent.
Davis also highlighted the Farmers Health Care Co-op, which he said will become "a model that Green County Healthy Solutions will be able to build off of," he said.
The health insurance co-op passed in 2003 and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle was made possible by legislation advocated by the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. Coverage offered by the Farmers' Health Cooperative began April 1, 2007.
The Farmers Health Co-op doesn't work for everyone, Davis said, but some farmers have been able to reduce their premiums by as much as $300 a month.
JAMES: A HEALTH CARE CO-OP?
Patty James, executive director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is part of Green County Healthy Solutions, which is in the process of forming a cooperative creating insurance options for businesses.
James said the cooperative would work to provide members with stable health coverage, benefits and better information about health care trends and costs.
In a co-op, risks are pooled, and participants would be able to be actively involved and work with the board of directors, James said. She said the coop is looking to include Green and Lafayette counties.
Health care options already in place through Green County Health Department programs include WIC (Women, Infants and Children), infant immunizations, fluoride varnish, blood test screening for lead poisoning, and Well-Woman Clinic for breast and cervical screening of women age 45-64.
WARDEN: DENTAL CARE SUFFERING
Dental care is a health aspect that also was noted as falling through the cracks of government assistance. Poor dental care can impair thinking because of pain, or can cause systemic infections because of untreated dental diseases, said RoAnn Warden, Green County Health Department's assistant director. Dental care is needed for "overall well-being and health," she said.
Green County Healthy Coalition Action Committee is putting together an Oral Health Care Access program through Green County government services. It will be run by volunteers; the committee is in the process of recruiting dentists, hygienists and dental assistants. The program will be funded by donations, grants and fundraisers, and is partnering with SWCAP.