A memo produced by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau reveals efforts to target women of the region with additional cuts to health services. The Department is subjectively cutting $215,000 in women's health block grant funding from the three counties, while increasing funding in other counties on ideological grounds.

Representatives Bernard Schaber and Hintz met with the DHS Secretary Dennis Smith in January seeking answers to questions about the Department's abrupt decision to terminate the 16-year Wisconsin Well Woman Program contract. They also asked why the cuts to women's health block grant funding in the counties they represent were being made solely on the basis of the identity of the provider. A Jan. 18 Oshkosh Northwestern editorial blasted the Walker Administration saying "Playing political games with women's health issues is contemptible."

"It is clear this administration is determined to allow the Governor's ideology to limit access to affordable health services for our constituents. To cut the region's reliable provider off without replacing the resources in these counties is abhorrent and demonstrates how extreme this Administration is," stated Hintz.

Women's health block grant funding, formerly called family planning funding, was cut ten percent in the state budget. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo provided an analysis of the Department's plans for these cuts. The Department has eliminated resources to local Planned Parenthood providers, while redirecting those funds to make up for the ten percent cut in counties that provide direct services.

The Department is also providing additional funding to some counties and statewide entities to allow them to contract with regional providers for some services. According to the memo, counties served by Planned Parenthood will not receive any additional resources to make up for the ten percent cut because the DHS believes it would be "duplicative."

"Expecting Winnebago and Fond du Lac County's health care providers to simply absorb $128,000 and $80,000 cuts to funding while providing the same level of service is unrealistic. Women in our region will have to pay more for health services," explained Senator King. "I would hope women's health is more important than partisanship. Governors and legislators from both parties have consistently supported this long standing public health partnership. Women in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac rely on these services and targeting them for cuts will have a direct and meaningful impact on their health service options."

In September 2010 DHS completed a needs assessment for Title V funding in the state. This assessment identified greater access to reproductive health care as a high priority.

"I am very concerned about future access to health services for women in Appleton and the surrounding area. A shift away from vital preventive care can have very negative consequences and it would be inconsistent with the state's Title V needs assessment. I hope the Department will reconsider ending a decade's long working relationship with our local health providers," stated Bernard Schaber.

"The concerns many shared about the political motives driving public health policies with dire consequences have been confirmed after meeting with Secretary Smith. Like many of the decisions being made in our state, we have a Governor who is more interested in mandating an extreme right-wing social agenda and is willing to risk the health and well being of women in our state to make it a reality. This is down-right scary," concluded Hintz.

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