Walworth, Racine, Kenosha Counties: Representative Mark Spreitzer (District-45 Beloit), the Minority Caucus Chair, will be joining Representative David Crowley (District 17, Milwaukee) as a guest speaker at the Campaign Kick-Off Celebration for Dr. Katherine Gaulke at Boxed and Burlap (2935 WI-67, Delavan) June 24th from 4-7pm. Katherine Gaulke, PhD, MHA is running for Assembly District 32 against Tyler August.

As Executive Director of the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (WAFCC), Dr. Gaulke worked with Rep. Spreitzer on AB598, a bill to expand the Heath Professions Loan Assistance Program (HPLAP) to the free and charitable clinic entity. The bill passed the Assembly but was not taken up by the Senate this last term.

AB598 would have allowed local District 32 free clinics such as Open Arms (Elkhorn) and HealthCare Network (Waterford/Racine) to hire psychologists to help address the opioid and substance abuse epidemic. Then after three years of service, the psychologist could have applied for up to $50,000 in loan assistance.

According to The Foundation for AIDS Research (amFar), in 2016, there were 531 drug-related deaths in the 1st Congressional District; which is almost half of all drug-related deaths in Wisconsin (1,074). Sadly, the 1st Congressional District ranks #1 in the state for drug-related deaths. 

When she gets to Madison, Dr. Katheirne plans to work with Rep. Spreitzer again to make this legislation a reality. 

Candidate Gaulke explained, “It is a huge honor to have Rep. Spreitzer speaking at my campaign kick-off. He has been influential in improving the lives of Beloit and Wisconsin residents.”

RSVP today at www.Gaulke4Assembly.com/events.

Source: ​http://opioid.amfar.org/WI/1#data-explorer

Walworth, Racine, & Kenosha Counties: Monday's Supreme Court decision, which sidestepped the issue of political gerrymandering and sent the Wisconsin case back to the lower courts on a procedural ruling, shows exactly how important it is for Wisconsinites to elect legislators who will champion, not suppress, voter rights. 

If you're upset about the Supreme Court decision, vote. If you want nonpartisan and fair district maps, vote. 

Voters should choose their politicians; politicians shouldn't choose their voters. It's up to us to elect a legislature who will do the right thing and fix Wisconsin's redistricting process. 

This isn't a right vs. left issue, this is a right vs. wrong issue. The Supreme Court issued a similar decision regarding standing in a case brought by Republicans in Maryland. 

In Wisconsin, a federal appeals court, with judges appointed by Republican Presidents, has already decided that the gerrymandering of maps in Wisconsin is wrong. 

We don't have to wait for the courts to resolve these specifics. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, we have the opportunity to vote for representatives who will do what is best for their constituents, not what is best for themselves. It's more important than ever to send people to Madison who will put your voice first.

Candidate Dr. Katherine Gaulke explained, "As the next Representative for Wisconsin's 32nd Assembly District, I will advocate for an independent and nonpartisan commission to draw district lines, exactly like what is done in Iowa. I will fight to protect your vote."

Walworth, Racine, Kenosha Counties: Representative David Crowley (District 17, Milwaukee) will be the guest speaker at the Campaign Kick-Off Event for Dr. Katherine Gaulke at Boxed and Burlap (2935 WI-67, Delavan) June 24th from 4-7pm. Katherine Gaulke, PhD, MHA is running for Assembly District 32 against Tyler August.

As Executive Director of the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (WAFCC), Dr. Gaulke worked with Rep. Crowley to pass a joint resolution (AJR52) to honor the first week in April as Wisconsin's "Free and Charitable Clinics Week," helping bring attention to the important role that such clinics play in a healthy society. Dr. Katherine looks forward to joining Rep. Crowley in the state legislature to fight to protect everyone with pre-existing conditions, lower the cost of prescription drug prices, and ensure affordable healthcare in Wisconsin.

Candidate Gaulke explained, “I am beyond excited that Rep. Crowley will be speaking at my campaign kick-off. He has been instrumental in improving the lives of Milwaukee and Wisconsin residents and is an inspiration to me. It is an honor to have him support me.”

RSVP today at www.Gaulke4Assembly.com/events.

Photo: AJR52 - a Joint Resolution making the first week of April Wisconsin's Free & Charitable Clinic Week. Rep. Crowley introduced this bill and then read the joint resolution on the Assembly floor. 

The Committee to Elect Katherine R. Gaulke for District 32 Assembly will be hosting a campaign kick-off event on Sunday, June 24th from 4pm – 7pm at Boxed and Burlap (2935 WI-67, Delavan, WI 53115). Live music will be provided by local musician Jenny Hundt. Lite refreshments catered by Simple will be served. Meet Dr. Katherine and learn about her commitment to you, the residents and taxpayers of District 32.  RSVP today at: www.gaulke4assembly.com/events. Suggested event donation: $25. 

​Dr. Katherine has been serving our community since moving to the Town of Delavan in 2005. First as leadership in Mother’s of Preschoolers (MOPS), then as a board member for the Family Resource Coalition organizing community fairs, founding the ACA Steering Team that created insurance assistance at Badger High School, volunteering at Open Arms Free Clinic, and is currently a Citizen Representative for the Town of Delavan Public Works Committee. In 2014, she founded the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) to serve the 101 Wisconsin free and charitable clinics.

Dr. Katherine is a long-time advocate for equity in healthcare and is running because healthcare has become unaffordable for too many Wisconsinites. She believes to be healthy, a person must have affordable access to quality care as well as food security, a living wage, reliable housing, clean water and air, and a quality education.

​Her policy, legislative, and educator experience makes her the best candidate to represent Wisconsin's 32nd Assembly District and be a fierce advocate for working families in Madison.

Residents seeking more information about Dr. Katherine’s candidacy can visit her website at www.Gaulke4Assembly.com or email her at Gaulke4Assembly@gmail.com. 

I had a lively conversation this week about premiums in the individual market and Marketplace (healthcare.gov). Misconception is that the Affordable Care Act (ACA/ “Obamacare”) has caused these increases but it is state and federal policy changes.

In 2014, there was a premium increase because of the ACA which implemented consumer protections such as comprehensive essential health benefits, removed pre-existing conditions, eliminated lifetime maximums, created annual max-out-of-pockets, and allowed children to stay on parents’ family plans until they are 26. All benefits justifying a premium increase. 

In contrast, the premium driver in 2018 was health reform and cost-sharing reductions uncertainty not improved coverage like in 2014. According to the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) gross premiums will be 25 percent higher by 2020 because of uncertainty not improved coverage.

In 2019, premiums are expected to further increase because of the individual mandate being removed (“Obamacare Repeal”) and healthy premium-paying folks leaving the health insurance market. According to the CBO premiums will increase 10% because of this reason along. 

Higher premiums lead to an increase in the uninsured because healthy people will not purchase insurance which causes premiums to go up and so fewer people can afford insurance. More people then go to the emergency room for treatment which causes medical costs to go up resulting again in higher premiums. It’s a vicious cycle.

It is important to recognize that a major cause of 2018 and 2019 Wisconsin premium increases is uncertainty and policies implemented after 2016 at the state and federal level.

District 32 Assembly Candidate Dr. Katherine Gaulke explains, "When I get to Madison I will propose consumer protections to bring stability to the health insurance market as a whole, not just the Marketplace. We can put state-level policies in place to bring premiums down for everyone. We must remove the polarized rhetoric and partisan policies."

Dr. Katherine has extensive for-profit and non-profit health care experience. She began her healthcare career in 1999 with Cogdell Spencer Erdman as a medical property manager in South Carolina. She left this position when the Navy transferred her husband to Kings Bay, GA. She then began working for HCA Patient Account Services in Jacksonville, FL. HCA owns 200+ hospitals in the United States, and was publicly traded when she worked for them. She began as an Accountant, was then promoted to Financial Analyst, and left HCA as Payment Resolution Manager working to resolve insurance company payment discrepancies and contract issues for 25 hospitals. For the last decade she has been adjunct teaching health care at Upper Iowa University in Milwaukee. Dr.  Katherine founded the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) in 2014. 

Sources:
CBO - https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53300, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53826, and https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53009 

I think most would agree, it has been a relief to no longer have pre-existing conditions as a caveat to obtaining health insurance. In a recent conversation, it became clear to me that there is confusion on why an annual health insurance enrollment period is necessary for this piece-of-mind.
 
We all know that to keep premiums low, healthy people must participate in health insurance.  We must also recognize that it is human nature to wait to the last minute. If given the opportunity, many would wait to purchase health insurance “tomorrow”.
Furthermore, for those who perceive themselves as healthy or are struggling to make ends meet, if given the opportunity to wait and purchase health insurance, they probably would wait too.
 
This would then cause an influx of sick people to the system who wait to purchase coverage until they to find out they have a problem, such as cancer, or a blessing, such as pregnancy. This situation would be like asking a homeowners insurance policy to offer coverage to people when their house is on fire. 
 
Therefore, an annual health insurance enrollment period is necessary to keep premiums down and guarantee that coverage includes preexisting conditions. 
 
It should be noted that an annual health insurance enrollment still encourages choice as we have seen in the Medicare market, where annually, Medicare recipients choose from a wide variety of plans.
 
An annual enrollment is also common in employer-sponsored coverage.
 
Currently, the next health insurance enrollment is: November 1 - December 15, 2018. During this time, folks in the open market and Marketplace (healthcare.gov) can enroll, re-enroll, or change a 2019 insurance plan.