Article Summary –
Essential Facts, Data, and Arguments:
Rural Wisconsin’s health care access has declined with hospital and clinic closures, and long distances to reproductive care, making it a critical but under-prioritized issue for voters. A Marquette Law School poll shows only 5% of registered Wisconsin voters consider health care their top issue, with higher concern for Medicare, Social Security, and abortion policy.
Kamala Harris supports expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and lowering prescription costs, promising to codify abortion rights, while Donald Trump aims to repeal the ACA without a replacement plan and is open to Medicare cuts.
Residents like Frank Pyles and Kathleen Rulka highlight personal stories and the broad impact of limited health care access in rural areas, emphasizing the ACA’s importance in providing affordable insurance and life-saving provisions, particularly in communities with reduced local medical services.
Rural Wisconsin’s health care access has diminished recently, with hospitals closing and clinics reducing services, putting miles between residents and necessary care.
As the presidential election approaches, health care is a top issue for voters in these areas, though it receives less attention statewide. A Marquette Law School poll shows only 5% of registered Wisconsin voters consider health care their primary concern. Medicare and Social Security were chosen by 9%, and 15% prioritize abortion policy.
Kathleen Rulka, Marshfield resident and co-chair of the Wood County Democrats, emphasized that health care issues are “truly matters of life and death.”
There’s a stark contrast between Harris and Trump’s health care plans. Trump wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and has suggested cuts to Medicare, while Harris aims to build on the ACA, making tax credits for lower premiums permanent and reducing prescription drug costs.
Residents in Marshfield, a central Wisconsin city, directly witness the decline in rural health care access. The Marshfield Clinic, a major health system, has closed locations and limited services like urgent care and labor and delivery. In April, Marshfield Clinic announced a 3% staff layoff.
Remaining clinics are overwhelmed as other hospitals close. Marshfield Medical Center in Eau Claire reported a 47% increase in ER patients and a 160% rise in deliveries after two area hospitals shut down.
Frank Pyles, a Marshfield resident, believes rural health care lacks sufficient statewide attention. The future of the ACA is a critical concern for many.
The ACA, enacted in 2010, expanded affordable insurance and protected those with preexisting conditions. In 2024, 266,000 Wisconsin residents enrolled in ACA insurance. Pyles’ experience in Canada demonstrated the importance of accessible health care, noting that without the ACA, his wife’s surgeries might not have been covered in the U.S.
Before the ACA, Rulka’s friend Savannah struggled to find treatment for pancreatic cancer. Rulka, a retired therapist and clinical chaplain, stresses the ACA’s importance in saving lives and easing end-of-life care.
Access to obstetric care in rural Wisconsin is also declining. “It’s really a problem. There’s just miles to travel,” Pyles told the Wisconsin Independent.
Marshfield residents Rulka and Pyles argue that health care issues affect everyone, directly or indirectly. “We don’t always have a personal story, but our relationships inform us to care for our community,” Rulka said.
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