Reader Opinion: Who suffers when health care fails?

As a family doctor in rural Chippewa Falls, I've had many conversations recently with patients about health insurance. People are scared. They worry they won't be able to afford the care they need, as insurance premiums are expected to double — or worse — by Jan. 1, 2026.

They're also worried about their parents. Medicare Advantage plans are pulling out of markets nationally and locally here in the Chippewa Valley. The reason? Insuring people costs too much, and profits aren't high enough to keep these plans interested.

Who suffers? People like you and me.

One patient put it best during a recent visit: "You know what? We have two kinds of welfare in this country — welfare for the poor and welfare for the rich."

He's right. The middle class — the people who work hard, pay taxes and keep our communities running — is being squeezed out of existence. And it's the working middle class that ends up funding both sides.

He spoke the truth: We don't need welfare for the wealthy.

Call your representatives and senators today. Urge them to act so that health insurance premiums remain affordable and accessible. Demand that your tax dollars support you and your community, not the ultra rich or corporate profits.

And tell elected officials — your senators and representatives — to protect funding for nursing homes and veterans' care. These are the people who have supported our nation and deserve our support in return.

Mary Landwehr

Chippewa Falls