Who’s helping and who’s hurting health care access in Wisconsin right now

It’s been half a year since Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers approved a bill that would help people get the health care they need in western Wisconsin.

It was meant to give $15 million in crisis response resources in the wake of the abrupt closures of two hospitals—one in Eau Claire and one in Chippewa Falls—and Prevea Health’s 19 clinic closures in mostly rural communities.

But the money is still sitting in Madison.

Why? Republican lawmakers on the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance have refused to release the funds, after Evers made line-item vetoes to the bill that would give local officials more flexibility in deciding how to use the funds. Evers said it isn’t a real justification for the ongoing refusal—rather that “it’s a troubling pattern of behavior.”

The health care closures left an immense care gap for rural residents, and nearly 1,400 people lost their jobs.

Evers’ resources could be used to fund any hospital services meeting the area’s health care needs, including urgent care services, OB-GYN services, inpatient psychiatry services, and mental health substance use services, among others.

While Evers has said he’s frustrated, he’s also noted his appreciation for Wisconsin’s US Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is working on the federal level and has introduced the Hospital Stability and Health Services Act in Congress. The act would, in the event of a hospital planning to shut down, help patients get continued care and request that the hospital come up with a mitigation plan.

“For too many Wisconsin families, especially in our rural communities, health care is already a struggle to get,” said Baldwin. “That’s why when hospitals like HSHS (Hospital Sisters Health System) close with little to no notice for their patients, Wisconsinites are left out to dry and with no options to find the sometimes lifesaving care they need.”

Evers said Baldwin’s proposal would be helpful for situations like the one Wisconsin currently finds itself in—but that he’s not letting those Republican lawmakers off the hook.

“While it’s unfortunate Republican lawmakers are continuing to hold up the $15 million for the Chippewa Valley that I approved in February, I’m grateful Sen. Baldwin is working to make sure Wisconsin patients aren’t left in the lurch and patients and communities are protected from abrupt hospital closures like the ones that happened in Western Wisconsin,” said Evers. “The ‘HSHS Act’ will go a long way in making sure there is transparency and that folks can find and have access to the care they need.”