In mid-2024, two local hospitals in the Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) and nineteen Prevea urgent care clinics suddenly closed, leaving people in both suburban and rural areas without adequate access to healthcare. Our study seeks to examine how health equity suffers when people lose access to treatment for emergencies and chronic conditions. Our study offers critical insight given that Wisconsin is one of only ten states in the nation (and the only state in the Midwest) that has opted against Medicaid expansion, a decision that has critically damaged access to essential treatment and care. We interviewed local community leaders of health-related organizations, healthcare providers, and public health officials about healthcare equity in the Eau Claire Metropolitan Area (ECMA), which includes both Eau Claire and Chippewa counties. By gathering their perspectives, our interviews illustrate how vulnerable populations have been impacted by the HSHS/Prevea closures and our state’s refusal to expand Medicaid. We will conclude by discussing these leaders’ recommendations for improving health equity to better serve marginalized Wisconsinites in this precarious moment for healthcare access.
