When two of western Wisconsin’s landmark hospitals announced their closures earlier this year due to financial distress, thousands of families were left with nowhere to turn for essential and emergency care. The troubling fate of both St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls and Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire is a stark reminder that rural health is at a breaking point. And it underscores what’s really at stake in this election season.
With more than one in 10 Wisconsinites struggling to pay off medical debt while affording basic necessities, such as groceries and gas, the cost of health care in the state is unsustainable. Many others grapple with high premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs that make even routine care feel out of reach. In fact, according to a 2023 survey of more than 1,100 Wisconsin adults, four in five worry about affording health care in the future, and more than half report delaying or going without care due to cost. The sudden loss of critical health care facilities only compounds these challenges, especially for rural and underserved communities.
Health care is on the ballot this November, and Wisconsin voters need to prioritize candidates who are committed to safeguarding access to affordable, high-quality care for all. This means supporting policies aimed at curbing the troubling trend of health care consolidation and mega-mergers, which is driving skyrocketing costs and forcing smaller community hospitals out of business…