A NEW DAY - Affordable Health Care Implementation, Infrastructure Panelists, Rep. Richards, Supv. Alexander & Supv. Bowen

L-R:  Supervisor Deanna Alexander - 18th District, Supervisor David Bowen, 10th District, Representative Jon Richards - 19th District

July 27, 2013

MILWAUKEE | The 2013 Affordable Health Care FAIR/Summit will kick-off with 3 of Milwaukee's progressive elected officials who are stepping forward to provide needed leadership at the state and county level.  They are:

• Supervisor Deanne Alexander - 18th District
• Supervisor David Bowen - 10th District
• State Representative Jon Richards - 19th District

Alexander, Bowen and Richards will provide the lead for discussion by the residential and commercial consumers of Milwaukee and neighboring census tracts.  Their focus is framing the introduction of the INFRASTRUCTURE dialog per what is the Wisconsin Federally-Assisted Exchange.  The Exchange will provide leadership and authorization of both IN-EXCHANGE payers and OUT-EXCHANGE payers (private, pay as you go and high deductible payers). 

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Wisconsin is a Federally Assisted Exchange since Governor Scott Walker chose to not participate in the Affordable Health Care law.  He also chose to not extend the Expansion of Medicare.

Wisconsin has over 5 million folk.

Milwaukee is the largest city with over a half-million folk and growing.

Milwaukee has a significant population that are recipients of health care via Medicare and Medicaid - federal payer.  

With the GDP/Gross Domestic Product yielding numbers that reach 2 trillion in 2011, the population is getting older, as we get older we incur more and more longer-term illnesses that are costly; with pension plans going-up-in-smoke with cronyism - late night and disregard voting of our elected officials, well-off and wealthy investors and lobbyists buying rights away; it is BUYER beware.  It is RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL consumer engage yourself in PREPAREDNESS.  

UPROAR - Uncertainty - Derailed

Most of Milwaukeeans have little to NO insurance - full or co-pay, public or private.  

They have had to go without the necessary health and care management that help drive down cost. Therefore, when residential and commercial stakeholders became "sick", they mostly chose the high-end payment care through the "Emergency" unit of local hospitals.  Their primary payer was the government.  The same Health and Human Service Department that paid for that health care is overseeing the implementation of the Affordable Health Care law, October 1, 2013 and January 1, 2014.

In 2011, Governor Walker put on the table and the Republican assembly in Madison authorized with a majority vote, an overthrow of 55 years of public employee pension and health contributions with Wisconsin Act 10.   This decisions has eroded the thinking of what is considered "certainty".

On July 18, 2013, Detroit, Michigan went into Bankruptcy - the first cry was from public/city pensioners. They fear that they will not have retirement coming. 

Whether Detroit or Milwaukee, the points the same, health care is a giant concern.  And, no matter if there is a pension or insurance plan, YOU need to know what the options are suppose to look like and what the federal government has on the table for evaluating plans.  It is not enough to exercise "brand" endorsement or "brand loyalty", if it does not fit you and your family's needs.  

THUS, the Affordable Health Care Preparedness FAIR/SUMMIT.

The 2013 Affordable Health Care FAIR/Summit Opening kick-off with its first TOWN HALL Briefing  to set the stage for Census Tract and Neighborhood engagement of the theme of Affordable Health Care.  The Theme is:

• WHAT'S PROMISED?
• WHAT'S DELIVERED?
• WHAT'S UNDERSTOOD?
• WHAT IS THE COST?

Opening INFRASTRUCTURE PANEL 

State Representative Jon Richards - 19th District

Representative Richards spearheaded this year's ONLY Milwaukee engagement of the Wisconsin Joint Finance State Budget Hearing .  He is one of three (3) members of the Milwaukee Delegation that occupy a seat on Wisconsin State Joint Finance Committee.

Representative Richards is a state representative for the East Side,  Bay View and Downtown area of Milwaukee.  He is an attorney, homeowner in the Brady Street Neighborhood, lives with wife, Andrea and son, Alex.  Before entering law school, he was an English teacher in Japan, volunteered with Mother Tereasa in Calcutta, India and worked as a reporter for business newspapers in Milwaukee and "San Francisco.  

Graduate of Waukesha North H.S.; B.A. Lawrence U., J.D. UW-Madison (Law Review); attended Keio University (Tokyo).

Chair of the Assembly committee on Health and Healthcare Reform (2009-2011), led the effort in the  legislature to reduce health care costs, cover every Wisconsinite with health insurance and promote wellness ban.  Member of Joint Finance committee, ranking member on the Assembly Health Committee and serves on the Assembly Financial Institutions Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Audit.

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Milwaukee County Supervisor David F. Bowen - 10th District

Supervisor Bowen is an outspoken county administrator about public policy issues and often speak out about injustices that face Milwaukee' Urban population.

He is a home-grown talent from the city of Milwaukee.  He was born and raised on Milwaukee's North Side and an honors graduate of Bradley Tech High School  His parents, Jamaican immigrants, came to Milwaukee to pursue a better life for their family.

His leadership background was shaped as a teen and young adult leader while pursuing his undergraduate degree at University of WI - Milwaukee.  His public policy training and experiences in the community with groups like Urban Underground, Americorp program - Public Allies includes a Legacy Foundation Youth Activism Fellowship.  He is a nationally recognized trainer for intergenerational community improvement strategies.  He has served on the Medical College of Wisconsin;s Violence Prevention Initiative Steering committee and is currently a member of the city of Milwaukee's Homicide Review Commission.  He is a National Americorps Service Alum.

April, 2012, Supervisor Bowen became the representative of the 10th District.  He is recognized as the youngest member of the Board and one of the youngest elected officials in Milwaukee's history.  He currently serves on 3 County Board standing committees;  Health and Human Needs, Transportation and Public Works, and as Vice Chair of Economic and Community Development.

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Milwaukee County Supervisor Deanna Alexander - 18th District

Supervisor Alexander was elected April 3, 2012 as the supervisor of the 18th District.  She represents approximately 52,000 residents in Milwaukee's northwestern corner.

Supervisor Alexander grew up in southeastern Wisconsin and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management – Accounting and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

In the year following 9/11/01, Supervisor Alexander enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard with Milwaukee’s 57th Field Artillery Brigade where she learned the values of duty and selfless service.

Prior to her election to the Board, Supervisor Alexander gained professional expertise in public accounting, auditing, municipal treasury, research, and training.  Supervisor Alexander previously worked in the Fiscal Department of the Behavioral Health Division and has the distinction of being one of the few Milwaukee County employees to be elected to the County Board.

Supervisor Alexander currently serves on the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, the Transportation & Public Works Committee, and the Parks, Energy, & Environment Committee.  She is also the Chairwoman of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Council.  In addition to her County Board commitments, Supervisor Alexander is nearing completion of a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Regent University.

Supervisor Alexander and her husband, Philip, own a home in the Nash Park neighborhood and are the proud parents of two daughters.

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GIANT OPPORTUNITY
Save the date - Friday, August 2, 2013
TOWNHALL BRIEFING @ The PARK
TIME:  9:00am - 11:30am
PLACE:  James Beckum Park, 900 W. Brown, Milwaukee, WI  53212

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