UW-Madison medical students lobbied at the state Capitol Wednesday, attempting to gain support for the Healthy Wisconsin legislation.
Thirty-five medical students wearing white lab coats held signs supporting the universal health care proposal and lobbied legislators from their home districts.
UW-Madison medical student Leslie Bishop said the students support Healthy Wisconsin because the legislation was better for patients. She said as a future doctor, the type of health care patients received mattered to her.
Bishop also said she agreed with Healthy Wisconsin because it encourages preventative care.
The Democrat-controlled state Senate made Healthy Wisconsin the main focus of their health care agenda. It was dropped from the final version of the state budget earlier in the year due to opposition from Republicans in control of the Assembly.
Healthy Wisconsin is still opposed by Republican leadership, but medical student Erin Tromble said they hoped to build momentum for the proposal in the next legislative session.
Tromble said the students did not support tax-deductible health savings accounts, one of the main parts of Assembly Republicans' health-care agenda.
Health care is not the appropriate place for consumer driven models,"" Tromble said. ""It forces people to choose between their health and their ability to feed themselves.""
Bishop said only wealthy people would be able to pay for health savings accounts.
Compassionate Care:
Senate Bill 129, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill, is scheduled to be voted on again by the state Senate Thursday.
The bill passed the Senate in May 2007 and the state Assembly in January 2008. The bill would mandate all hospital emergency rooms in Wisconsin provide emergency contraception for all rape victims.
It must pass the Senate again due to action taken on it in the Assembly.
Gov. Jim Doyle is expected to sign the bill.
