BadgerCare Is a Lifeline, Not a Handout
But because some Republican lawmakers want tax breaks for the wealthy, people like me could lose essential health care. Meanwhile, they throw around buzzwords like “waste and fraud” to justify cutting programs that actually help people.
By Nathaniel Flauger
I rely on Medicaid for both my insurance and my daughter’s insurance. Some months, I don’t even have enough to cover rent and all my bills. No matter how hard I work – balancing a job, parenthood, and building a business – I still come up short. People love to say, “Just get another job,” but it’s not that simple. I want to live with dignity.
I never used to care much about politics. I was focused on surviving and taking care of my daughter. Politics always felt like something far removed from my life – just a bunch of people arguing on TV, making decisions that didn’t seem to affect me directly. And frankly, I didn’t think my voice would matter.
But that changed when I saw firsthand how policy decisions could impact my ability to provide for her. When Trump signed an executive order just one week into his presidency to freeze federal assistance, I immediately felt the impact. It was a clear sign that those in power had no understanding – or concern – for how these programs actually work. Suddenly, politics wasn’t just noise in the background; it was personal.
My daughter’s dental care, including her fillings, which BadgerCare fully covers at our community dental clinic, could also be at risk.
I take Vyvanse, a medication I depend on, and if my insurance were cut, I wouldn't be able to afford it. The withdrawal symptoms would be devastating.
And now, there’s talk of eliminating Medicaid coverage for telehealth, which means virtual therapy appointments wouldn’t be covered anymore. I see a counselor every month to check in on my mental health, and that support has played a huge role in my ability to keep going. But because some Republican lawmakers want tax breaks for the wealthy, people like me could lose essential health care. Meanwhile, they throw around buzzwords like “waste and fraud” to justify cutting programs that actually help people.
I found myself frustrated every day, watching the chaos unfold in the White House, feeling helpless. I wanted to do something.
Fighting Over Crumbs
Then, an opportunity presented itself.
A photographer friend told me about a Hands Off Medicaid rally outside Senator Ron Johnson’s Madison office. I had the day off and wanted to do what I love and I decided to photograph the event. At the rally, a man on the bullhorn invited people to come up and speak.
“Even if your voice trembles,” he said.
I thought about stepping forward. I had my own story to tell – how I depend on Medicaid for my health care, how my daughter’s dental care relies on BadgerCare – but I stayed silent out of fear.
When I got home, I found out there was another rally the next day at Johnson’s Oshkosh office – the city I live in. This time, I wasn’t just there to take pictures. I spoke.
I didn’t talk about myself, though. I spoke about the bigger picture – the truth that gets buried under fear and propaganda. I told the crowd that the attacks on Medicaid, CHIP, and other essential programs weren’t just numbers on a budget sheet.
They were people.
They were lives.
I talked about how billionaires hoard wealth while we’re told to fight over crumbs. How those in power use fear and division to distract us from the real problem. How we need to stop fighting each other and start fighting for each other.
That moment changed everything for me. I finally understood that politics wasn’t just something happening in the background; it was personal. It was about survival.
I refuse to be silent anymore. I’ve found my voice, and I will keep using it. Because when they try to divide us, we have to stand together.
And while all of this is happening, the House just passed a bill to cut $880 billion from Medicaid. They gaslight the public, insisting it won’t affect health care. How delusional do you have to be to believe that?
It’s painfully obvious that those in power are completely out of touch with everyday citizens. They sit high on Capitol Hill, looking down on us like peasants while cutting funding for the poor and handing tax breaks to the rich. It’s not just frustrating—it’s disgusting.
