Barbara Beckert

Wisconsin has been a leader in covering its residents with high-quality health care and providing community supports so people with disabilities and frail elders can stay in their homes and communities and out of costly facilities. The American Health Care Act poses a particularly dangerous threat to our state’s residents, in part because we have done so much right. One in five Wisconsinites use Medicaid and nearly a quarter-million get health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

In a January 17 editorial John Torinus asserts that Medicaid block grants proposed by state and federal leaders could benefit Wisconsin. As the Protection and Advocacy agency in our state, that provides support to ensure the civil rights of Wisconsinites with the most significant disabilities, we beg to differ. Wisconsin Medicaid programs provide life sustaining services for 1.1 million (1 in 5) Wisconsinites: seniors; children and adults with disabilities; and working families.

Phyllis Greenberger and Barbara Beckert work at Disability Rights Wisconsin, a group that provides advocacy for people with disabilities in the state.