Programs
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Health Care - The Campaign for Health Security Over one million Wisconsin citizens lacked health insurance at some point during the last three years – and currently 1.2 million of our citizens have no coverage for prescription drugs. Wisconsin Citizen Action is coalescing senior citizen, consumer, church, community, labor and health care professional groups to ensure that all Wisconsinites have quality health care. Our 3 ½ year grassroots campaign to win Badger Rx included training 856 activists and 42 leaders on the issue, mobilizing over 950 people in events and rallies, generating thousands of letters to decision-makers, highlighting the issue in the media, and working with the Governor’s office.
In 2005, we developed our new Fair Share Health Care Campaign. We will continue in 2006 to focus on the failure of large, profitable businesses, like Wal-Mart, to offer decent health insurance coverage for their employees. As a result, many of their employees are left uninsured, while others are forced onto BadgerCare, the state’s health insurance program that was designed to cover low-income, working families where the employer could not afford to offer health insurance. During his 2006 State of the State address, Governor Doyle called for an “anti-dumping” law that would prevent businesses, like Wal-Mart, from purposely shifting their employees onto BadgerCare. A bill was introduced in the Assembly that would require companies with at least 10,000 employees in the state must pay 80% of the premiums of health insurance for employees and their families or face penalties.
We also worked with SEIU, AFL-CIO, the
Wisconsin Farmers Union, AFSCME and the Laborers in 2005 to help
introduce the Action Plan for Affordable Health Care,
legislation that would require the legislature to pass a health
care coverage plan that covers at least 98% of Wisconsin
residents and reduce overall health care costs by 15% by January
1, 2008. Wisconsin Citizen Action will continue in 2006 to
tackle the health care crisis and will hold our legislators’
feet to the fire on the issue.
Contact Darcy Haber at 608-256-1250 ext.16 or Darcy.Haber@citizenactionwi.org.
Citizen Action of Milwaukee (CAM) - Citizen Action of Milwaukee Citizen Action of Milwaukee is the local chapter of Wisconsin Citizen Action, organizing the power of community members for racial and economic justice. We are dedicated to transforming our city and building a community of hope, justice and abundance shared by all. Our key activities include:
- Intensive leadership training to help residents address critical issues in their communities.
- Organizing faith based leaders to be more involved in the needs of the community.
- Working to ensure access to quality education and Community Learning Centers for low-income children, including co-leading a statewide initiative to reduce truancy.
- Bringing together residents and officials to address police brutality.
Other Issues In 2005, Wisconsin Citizen Action expects to play a supporting role on a range of other issues, making a tangible contribution on defensive fights around important progressive issues, including fighting the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, defending further erosion of voting rights, protecting the civil justice system, opposing right-wing judicial appointments, and fighting racism.
