MADISON — After U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany won the Republican primary election for Wisconsin governor on Tuesday, doctors from across Wisconsin gathered virtually to discuss what his agenda could mean for health care in the state. Tiffany voted for HR1, which could cut Medicaid coverage for as many as 285,000 Wisconsinites. Dr. Kristen Dall-Winther, a family physician in Birchwood and current constituent of Rep. Tom Tiffany, spoke about the impact of the cuts on rural health care.

“Those cuts also put additional financial pressure on our local rural hospitals, which are already operating on very thin margins and now at risk of closure,” said Dr. Dall-Winther. “In many communities in our state, we don’t have several hospitals to choose from should our local one close. That local one is it. I see firsthand what happens when patients struggle to afford care, when rural hospitals are under financial pressure, and when people put off seeing a doctor because they are worried about what it will cost. Tom Tiffany has repeatedly voted for policies that make those problems worse.”

Congressman Tiffany voted against codifying abortion protections in federal law. He also previously backed a six-week abortion ban with no exceptions.

“That is extreme, plain and simple,” said Dr. Sophie Kramer, an internist in Madison. “He may be trying to soften his tone on abortion now, erasing it from his website, but we haven’t forgotten what he supported. I’ll never forget what it was like for doctors and patients when Wisconsin’s abortion ban went back into effect in 2022. We were afraid to talk to patients about their pregnancy status. My colleagues in Ob-Gyn had to scramble to direct patients to get care in other states for their pregnancy complications. We saw doctors and nurses deciding to leave Wisconsin due to the restrictions on reproductive care. Doctors understand that reproductive health decisions can be medically complicated and deeply personal. They should be made by patients in consultation with their physicians — not dictated by politicians. Tom Tiffany’s record raises serious questions about whether he would try to dictate women’s medical decisions.”

Finally, Tiffany voted against extending the enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans. 

“Now health care deductibles have surged to record highs for Wisconsinites, increasing more than $1000 on average. That’s a lot of money for most families,” said Dr. Bob Freedland, a retired ophthalmologist in La Crosse. “So now families are having to make tough decisions about budgets, and often, that means letting go of their health care. Thousands fewer Wisconsinites signed up for ACA plans this year than last year — at least 17,000 fewer. They just have to hope they don’t get sick or injured. It didn’t have to be this way. But Congressman Tiffany voted for it to be this way.”

About the Committee to Protect Health Care

The Committee to Protect Health Care is a national mobilization of doctors, health care professionals, and advocates who are building a pro-patient health care majority in Congress and in states so that we can live in an America where everyone has the health care they need to thrive. To learn more: www.committeetoprotect.org