Website calling for universal health coverage in Wisconsin

by Ken Harris

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 00:00

A local woman launched a website last week designed to provide a forum for people who have problems with the state of health care in Wisconsin. Lori Nitzel, a Madison lawyer, started Uninsuredinwisconsin.com to give a voice to the 530,000 uninsured and many more underinsured residents who have a difficult time affording health care. “Health care is a fundamental right,” Nitzel said. “There needs to be universal health care.” Nitzel currently owns her own business and works part time for a nonprofit organization. She said she does a lot of pro bono work and has not been able to afford health insurance since she moved to Wisconsin in 2001. She said her nonprofit job cannot afford to pay her salary as well as provide her with health benefits. As a productive member of the community, however, she said she should be able to care for her health needs. According to Nitzel, 10 percent of Wisconsin’s population is currently uninsured, and thousands more are underinsured by their current private providers, leaving a large number of people unable to afford proper health care. Nitzel said her main goal in starting the website is to pressure legislators into action about universal health care. She hopes by bringing together the thousands of people suffering from inadequate health coverage, the numbers will be too hard to ignore. “We want to let legislators know their constituents are suffering,” Nitzel said. The new website contains a section for people to post their stories about experiences with health care without insurance, as well as forums for discussions on any topics related to current health care problems. The “If I…” section of the website allows users to make statements about what they would do if they had free health insurance. The section poses questions such as, “Would you leave an unhealthy relationship?” and “Would you go back to school for a degree you’ve always wanted?” The website also has links to informational websites about Healthy Wisconsin, a universal health care proposal, which was been dropped by the State Assembly, as well as organizations that advocate a universal healthcare system. “A lot of people don’t think that government-run health care is the best answer,” Nitzel said. “I think it’s our best shot.” John Murray, spokesman for Speaker of the State Assembly, Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said the Huebsch does not agree with this assessment. “Giving the government control over people’s health care is the absolute worst way that we can provide affordable and accessible health care to people,” Murray said. According to Murray, Huebsch believes state-run, universal health care will actually provide less access to affordable, quality health care. Instead, the government should empower people by providing them with their own tools to access health care. Murray said Huebsch advocates making health care premiums tax deductible and creating health savings accounts for certain people to set aside money, pre-taxed, for health costs. Although “the Internet is a great tool for people to tell their stories and voice their concerns,” Murray said he cannot say whether the website will have an effect on policymaking.