Eau Claire is preparing to appoint a team of local residents to study rising healthcare costs, after voters approved a ballot measure on Nov. 3 to create a citizen healthcare action committee.

The measure passed in Eau Claire by 55% to 45%. Voters in La Crosse approved a similar measure the same day, by 67% to 33%.

Each committee will have seven members and will produce a report every two years. The committees are tasked with analyzing local healthcare conditions, including what residents pay for insurance, how many small businesses offer coverage to employees, and which groups have less access to care.

Organizers said the idea grew out of conversations among advocates in the spring of 2026, driven by frustration over rising premiums for people who buy coverage on the federal marketplace and upcoming Medicaid cuts starting in 2027.

Supporters acknowledge that most healthcare policy is set at the state and federal level, but say the committees can recommend advocacy and local steps to make care more accessible and affordable. The Eau Claire chamber of commerce raised questions before the vote about whether the committee's structure would meaningfully advance that goal.