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Exchange Tackles Rising Health Costs

October 10, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

“Rising health costs are the single biggest problem we face,” the Menomonie non-profit administrator told me. She saw double digit inflation in health insurance costs for years. “We are having a serious talk with our employees about options. None are good.”

“With the drop in milk prices,” the Tomah dairy farmer told me. “Health premiums now take up a quarter of our milk check.” Insurance premiums for the farmer and his brother add up to over $900 a month. “What can you do to help?” he asked.

This week I unveiled a bill to create affordable health insurance exchanges for small businesses and individuals. An exchange is a competitive marketplace where health insurance companies compete for business.

For small businesses, farmers and others who buy insurance on their own, a well run exchange does two things. First, exchanges give small groups big buying power. No longer are you on your own buying insurance for just yourself or your business.

Second, the exchange provides information not now available to small businesses and people who buy insurance on their own. Consumers can clearly compare plans.

The One Percenters: Game, set, and class warfare

October 9, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Naomi Klein, author of "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism," really tagged the wealthiest one percent of America the other day in a speech at the Occupy Wall Street rally.

Her speech was shortened because there were no amplified microphones, but here's what Klein said in the full, written version. You can't get much more succinct about what's happening in the US right now regarding "class warfare," and her words surely will remind many of the Scott Walker school of public policy. Here she is:

If there is one thing I know, it is that the one percent loves a crisis. When people are panicked and desperate and no one seems to know what to do, that is the ideal time to push through their wish list of pro-corporate policies: privatizing education and social security, slashing public services, getting rid of the last constraints on corporate power. Amidst the economic crisis, this is happening the world over.

And there is only one thing that can block this tactic, and fortunately, it’s a very big thing: the 99 percent. And that 99 percent is taking to the streets from Madison to Madrid to say “No. We will not pay for your crisis.”