As a doctor, I know that voting is critical to protecting and advancing health care.

For me and many of my medical colleagues practicing in Wisconsin, elections are critically important to the health, well-being and safety of the patients we care for. From the president to state lawmakers to local elected officials, the votes we cast for candidates up and down the ballot will determine whether Wisconsinites gain access to affordable health care or continue to face barriers to treatment and therapies , which can improve your health and even save lives.

While many of us may be intrigued by high-profile national candidates, we must not lose sight of races at the state and local levels.

Who we elect to the state Assembly this November can determine whether tens of thousands of our neighbors can afford to see a doctor, pay for their medications and keep their children healthy. Gov. Tony Evers has proposed expanding BadgerCare and finally providing protection and peace of mind to nearly 90,000 Wisconsin residents who currently lack health care.

Unfortunately, Republicans in our legislature, including House Speaker Robin Vos, have stubbornly refused to provide relief to working families in Wisconsin and will oppose Evers’ plan to increase BadgerCare eligibility to include households earning up to 138%. those who are eligible under the federal poverty level do not receive assistance.

These are Wisconsin residents who currently earn too much for BadgerCare with a household income of $43,000 per year for a family of four. At the same time, they cannot afford the premiums for private health insurance, which are on average 19% more expensive in Wisconsin compared to neighboring states.

As a physician, I see firsthand how access to affordable healthcare impacts health. If a person does not have insurance coverage and cannot afford to see a doctor, they are more likely to delay seeking medical care – delays that can lead to serious medical complications. Treating these worsened conditions, in turn, becomes more expensive and leads to poorer outcomes. Delays that can even lead to preventable deaths are all because uninsured patients fear high medical bills will ruin them financially.

Every day, doctors see how timely treatment, therapy and medical intervention can make a difference between restoring good health and resuming normal activities and continued suffering, more pain and poorer outcomes.

We know from data that Medicaid saved the lives of at least 19,200 adults ages 55 to 64 between 2014 and 2017, a groundbreaking study found. Conversely, 15,600 older adults died prematurely due to government decisions not Expanding Medicaid.

People in expansion states were 6.7% more likely to have a mammogram than people in non-expansion states. They were 5% more likely to be tested for cholesterol or diabetes. Emergency room use for medical purposes fell from 16.2% to 1.6%.

In addition to supporting individuals, the state of Wisconsin would receive $2.2 billion in federal funding over the next two years. The federal government is covering most of the cost of expanding Medicaid — money that Wisconsin just left on the table.

Meanwhile, rural hospitals in states that have expanded their Medicaid programs are enjoying consistently higher operating margins, which is particularly important given the recent closures of two hospitals in rural western Wisconsin.

That’s why nearly 150 medical professionals across Wisconsin have signed a letter calling on lawmakers to expand BadgerCare now. It matters who these legislators are.

This November, healthcare is on the ballot. Who we elect to represent us at every level – from the White House to the Statehouse – will determine the health, well-being and safety of everyone in Wisconsin.

Dr. Ann Helms is a Milwaukee neurologist and head of the Committee to Protect Health Care in Wisconsin.

Share your thoughts on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to [email protected]. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and location will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please limit your letter to a maximum of 250 words.