Wisconsin faces a triple crisis in health care: the skyrocketing cost of health insurance, increasing numbers of uninsured, and a severe deficit in the state's Medicaid program.  

• Employers now spend an average of 15% of payroll for employee's health care premiums.  Health care costs are rising 9% per year, which hurts wages, profits, job creation and new investment in Wisconsin.
• Over a half million Wisconsinites - fully 10% of our population - have no health insurance coverage at some point during the year.  Lack of insurance is a significant factor in premature death and bankruptcy.
• Wisconsin's Medicaid program, a state-run program that provides health insurance for low-income persons, is facing continual deficit because costs and caseloads are rising significantly faster than state revenues.

As people of faith, we believe that our Creator God intends health and wholeness for every human life.  Thus, the Wisconsin Council of Churches is working with other health care reform advocates to educate and mobilize Wisconsin's religious community to support the creation of a universal health care system.  Several major proposals have been introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature.  The Council encourages that individuals and congregations learn more about the crisis and evaluate the various proposals in light of the moral principles of human dignity, the common good, social justice and good stewardship.

For more information download "Principles for Health Care Reform" in Word format by clicking here.

Health & Hope   Our congregational study guide, Health & Hope: What Can We Do About Wisconsin's Health Care Crisis? has been revised and updated and will be arriving in the mailbox of every WCC-member congregation by mid-February. 

Reflecting recent changes in the legislative agenda, this resource now compares the "Healthy Wisconsin" plan to cover everyone in Wisconsin and proposals for consumer-driven or market-oriented reforms.  The study guide's framework can also be used to compare the health care proposals of presidential candidates, as well as any new proposals that may surface at the state level.

The Guide can be used for Sunday adult forums, two-hour evening events, a half-weekend event, ecumenical study groups or a retreat for your church council or social witness committee.  The Council has a limited number of the Guides remaining, so please feel free to duplicate it for participants.

Download a PDF copy of "Health & Hope - A Study Guide for Wisconsin Congregations" for viewing or printing by clicking here.

  Session 1 (PowerPoint File)
   Session 1 (PDF File)
 

Health & Hope Study Guide Sessions 2-3

   Session 2 (PowerPoint File)
   Session 2 (PDF File)

  Healthy Wisconsin

    Healthy Wisconsin  (Word File)
     Healthy Wisconsin PowerPoint  (PowerPoint File)
     Healthy Wisconsin (PDF File)

   Health Care Event Poster with Photo (Word file)
   Health Care Event Poster using line art (Word file)
   Health Care Event Poster (PDF)
   Bulletin Insert (Word file)
   Bulletin Insert (PDF)

Let Us Know How Your Sessions Went

The Health & Hope Study Guide contains an evaluation
form (page 24) that can be used to tell us how your sessions
went and how we can improve on future study-action guides.          Evaluation Form
Copy the form in the Guide or download one in PDF format
by clicking here.  Your input will be appreciated!

Facilitator Workshops and Conference Calls

The Council is looking for congregations throughout the state which will use the Guide in 2008 to educate and involve local church members in discussing health care reform during the 2007-08 Legislative Session and during the 2008 general election campaigns, in which health care is sure to be a leading issue.

One-hour facilitator training events via conference call have been scheduled for the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, March 5, 2:00 - 3:30 pm

• Thursday, March 6, 10:00 - 11:30 am

• Wednesday, March 12, 9:30 - 11:00 am

• Thursday, March 13, 7:00 - 8:30 pm

If there is a group of churches in your community which would like to be trained, WCC staff can provide a facilitator training workshop in person.  Please contact Peter Bakken, WCC Public Policy Coordinator at bakken@wichurches.org or call (608) 837-3108.

How to Organize a Community Forum

Five Easy Steps to Organizing a Successful Universal Health Care Community Forum

1. Gather a planning committee consisting of local pastors, health care providers, chamber of commerce, etc.

2. Meet with WI Council of Churches staff to set a date for a local forum, develop a list of co-sponsors, develop an outreach strategy and to develop a media strategy.

3. Implement the outreach strategy using flyers and bulletin inserts for congregations and other co-sponsors, placing announcements in local media (print and radio), sending out press releases one week before the event for weekly publications, and three days prior for everything else
4. Plan who will moderate the forum, introduce speakers and facilitate the Q & A.  Decide who will provide hospitality, handle needed Audio/Visual equipment, and gather contact information of attendees.
5. Follow up with a report to the media, with study resources for congregations and a local contact list for legislative work.

    Forum Handout: "Principles of Health Care Reform" - Download a copy in Word format by clicking here.

Click here to view the WCC Advocacy resources.  Other healthcare-specific strategies will be available soon.

Links to Additional Online Resources

Read and/or print a summary of the Healthy Wisconsin Plan by clicking here (pdf format).