There’s a political battle underway over health care subsidies, and it’s leaving rural Wisconsin at a crossroads. Here with some perspective is Ben Nelson, the new executive director of the Cooperative Network. CN is the trade association that supports cooperatives across Wisconsin and Minnesota across all sectors, including agriculture, energy, and rural economic development. Ben has a 20-year career behind him in the economic growth space, most of that time in Wisconsin. He actually grew up on a deer farm, but most recently, he was the executive director of the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corp. Before Ben and Stephanie Hoff dive into what exactly is going on with the Affordable Care Act, he tells us what drew him to this role at CN. After the conversation, Ben says while the deadline for healthcare.gov may have passed, you can still audit your 2026 options. Consider a Health Savings Account to manage those high deductibles, or run your income numbers carefully to avoid the 'subsidy cliff,' as he calls it. In the meantime, he says the Cooperative Network is working to reopen the Farmers Health Cooperative.