Gov. Doyle Stands Up Again for Wisconsin Patients
Governor vetoes dangerous Patient Abandonment Bill, protects patient rights & privacy
Madison, WI – Today, Governor Jim Doyle vetoed the most sweeping attack on patient’s rights in the nation, the Patient Abandonment Bill, which would allow health care providers to deny care and information to patients based on the providers’ personal beliefs.
“Governor Doyle understands that Wisconsin patients deserve accurate, truthful, complete information from their health care providers,” said Kelda Helen Roys, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, which opposed the bill. “We are lucky to have a Governor who makes access to affordable health care a priority, even as Republican legislators try to eliminate it and interfere with patients’ rights.”
The Patient Abandonment Bill, AB 207, would allow doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care providers to withhold medical care, information, and treatment recommendations – including birth control and fertility treatments – based solely on the providers’ personal beliefs. Providers could refuse to recommend or refer a woman for an abortion, even if she would die without it. The bill also takes away important legal remedies from patients, leaving those harmed by medical malpractice and unethical conduct with no recourse.
GOP legislators repeatedly rejected safeguards to protect citizens’ health and access to care. Democratic legislators introduced amendments to prevent pharmacists from denying birth control to women, to give patients written or oral notice about a potential refusal, to ensure referrals for infertility treatment, and to protect employers from being forced to continue paying vigilante employees who refuse to perform required duties.
Each of these commonsense protections was defeated by Republican legislators, who passed the bill despite overwhelming opposition from the medical community and the public.
“Thankfully, Governor Doyle will not let our health be jeopardized by the personal whims of unethical practitioners,” continued Roys. “Unfortunately, we can only assume both Republican gubernatorial candidates would sign this horrendous roll-back of patients’ rights, since both supported similar measures as state legislators.”
“Governor Doyle has improved health care access for Wisconsinites, and saved millions of taxpayer dollars by focusing on common-sense preventative solutions. Republican legislators are out of touch – their attacks on basic health care, like birth control and disease prevention, will only hurt citizens across the state.”
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