UW-Eau Claire graduate Kevin Gostomski was working part-time in Madison at the State Historical Museum…in limbo between college and a full-time job. But in October of 2006, an accident jeopardized his plans for the future. Gostomski was riding on a Madison bike trail when his front wheel came off. His fall fractured his chin and broke his jaw in two places, along wth some chipped teeth. He says the injuries were so bad, he had to call an ambulance to come get him.
The accident required two surgeries to repair his jaw, putting the 24-year-old nearly $18,000 in debt because he couldn't afford health insurance. As a result, Gostomski says he may have to give up trying to pursue the career he studied for in school, just so he can afford to pay off his medical debts.
Gostomski is one of the 154,000 uninsured Wisconsinites the Governor hopes to provide coverage for under the BadgerCare Plus initiative . The proposal included in the state budget would expand eligibility for coverage with the goal of making sure 98 percent of Wisconinites have access to affordable health coverage.