Business
AFSCME union brings giant tablet to La Crosse riverfront in campaign to save Medicare funding
If you went to the Moon Tunes concert in La Crosse early Thursday evening, you might have seen what looked like a very large smart-phone in Riverside Park.
That computer touchscreen was being used to write messages to elected officials, asking them to oppose billions of dollars in proposed cuts to Medicaid.
Retirees and members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union organized the lobbying effort. AFSCME spokeswoman Sue Conard said plans to cut access to health care are “unacceptable” and “cruel.”
“I was a public health nurse here in La Crosse for 25 years,” Conard said. “I know how many people around here rely on Medicaid to provide health care for themselves and their children.”
“Taking health care away from children just is wrong,” she added.
Conard noted many in the U.S. need the money that might be cut from the budget with the aim of providing tax cuts to the wealthy.
“The people who need it are our most vulnerable populations,” Conard said. “Seniors who live on a fixed income. Young people who don’t have the money that they can afford health insurance, so they use Medicaid.”
Conard criticized area US House Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) for supporting the suggested cuts.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been sent to the US Senate, where action could be taken before July 4.
walden
June 13, 2025 at 11:38 am
There was a lot of money invested in that little tent set-up by AFSCME along with its paid professioal union staff in attendance. How does that benefit dues paying membership?
Kevin
June 14, 2025 at 8:05 am
I want Medicare to work for the people it was designed to work assist, to do this,
We need the fraud out of Medicare, we need the folks that can work for this benefit to work, we need the illegal aliens off the Medicare roles,
To do this, we need to put hands-on the program and not just keep enlarging the pool of money because some politician has a donor that says they need access to more money,
SOMEONE HAS TO MIND THE STORE…..
walden
June 15, 2025 at 4:49 pm
Agreed Kevin.
Note, most of the fraud is in Medicaid, not Medicare. During Covid, the states (who administer Medicaid) paused their usual annual reviews of Medicaid recipients, opening the door to abuse and fraud.
Related: 75+ non-profits officials under indictment in a $250 million covid “meals for kids” fraud scheme in the Twin Cities (Startribune; unreported by WIZM).
Related: USAid official and three conspirators plead guilty in a $550 millionn fraud of USAid funds (New York Post; unreported by WIZM)
Libertarian guy
June 16, 2025 at 8:30 am
Walden,
You are absolutely correct on this. The state suspended the rules during and two years after Covid. How does this work? Annual reviews are required to determine eligibility for Medicaid. An annual review is not often enough because a person can be determined eligible for medicaid and then keep said Medicaid for 12 months thereafter. If they get a job one month after eligibility is determined, they do not lose Medicaid for about 11 months at the time of the next annual review.. This can amount to tens of thousands of dollars in the event that person gets hospitalized, gets expensive prescriptions, extensive outpatient services, etc. So even with this fraudulent prone system, at least the state checks annually. However, as you stated correctly, the state suspended those rules allowing people to remain on Medicaid even if their income exceeded eligibility limits. In my line of work, I saw this happen firsthand. It was infuriating to know they were getting benefits, but failing to meet eligibility rules for such benefits. And Medicaid is the best “insurance“ around: no premium, no deductible, and often no co-pays.
CRAIG A OLSON
July 3, 2025 at 4:22 pm
These democrats clearly do not want our Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs cleaned up. They somehow think illegals should get some of it. Do these folks not pay taxes? Are they sucking from society themselves, and want to continue? Very strange.