Letters to the Editor published in the June 9, 2021 issue of the Tomahawk Leader.

Felzkowski made stance on BadgerCare expansion clear

To the Editor,

On May 5, 2021, my husband and I attended a press conference regarding BadgerCare expansion, held at Normal Park in Merrill. Citizen Action of Wisconsin held the event in response to some Joint Finance Committee members’ announcement that they would remove that item from the state budget.

While neither my husband nor I depend on that health care coverage, we were concerned that the Republican majority state legislature would once again give up much needed federal funding as they did in 2014 ($1.5 billion), and for the next two years ($1.6 billion), along with the $300 million per year thereafter. The expansion includes $100 million in annual aids to hospitals serving BadgerCare participants.

BadgerCare expansion would cover an additional 90,000 working Wisconsinites with a high quality, affordable health coverage option. A no-brainer one would think.

In spite of the logic of including BadgerCare expansion within the budget, and the fact that most of the professional and everyday citizens commenting at an earlier budget hearing in Rhinelander expressed support for the expansion, state Senator Mary Felzkowski made her anti-stance clear on the matter.

What state Senator Mary Felzkowski neglects to mention is the fact that her Tomahawk business sells multiple insurance coverages, including coverage for health care. If her anti-expansion position is not an actual conflict of interest, it certainly demonstrates a bias for private, for-profit health insurance carriers.

Diana C. Smith

Tomahawk