Wisconsin Medicaid Faces Enrollment Shifts, Largest Cost-to-Continue and Potential Federal Funding Changes

Wisconsin’s Medicaid program is undergoing several developments, including a decline in enrollment, increased funding needs to maintain current services, and potential changes at the federal level that could impact future funding and operations.   Enrollment Changes Following Policy Shift   BadgerCare Plus enrollment fell below 900,000 in March 2025, marking the lowest total since August […]

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Natural Resources Board Restarts Rulemaking for PFAS Groundwater Standards

On April 9, The Natural Resources Board approved starting a new rulemaking effort to establish groundwater standards for six PFAS compounds, following an earlier attempt initiated in fall 2022 to regulate four PFAS at levels as low as 4 parts per trillion (ppt). The previous proposal stalled because its estimated implementation and compliance costs exceeded […]

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Medicaid Projected End Fiscal Year with a Small Surplus

Medicaid is projected to end the biennium with a $1.2 million surplus in state dollars, according to a recent report from the Department of Health Services (DHS), though earlier estimates had predicted a $29.4 million surplus. The revised projection reflects higher-than-expected rate increases for managed care programs—over 8% for long-term care organizations and 5.7% for […]

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Wisconsin Supreme Court to Consider Legislative Review Over Administrative Rule-Making

Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an unsigned order agreeing to take up another issue in a lawsuit filed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers in October 2023. Earlier this year, the court divided the case into three separate issues, all centered around the scope of the legislature’s authority. The recent order focuses on whether […]

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Evers v. Marklein (Separation of Powers)

In Evers v. Marklein (2024 WI 31), the court held that oversight power exercised by a legislative committee over decisions made by a state agency to use already-appropriated funds violated the separation of powers established by the Wisconsin Constitution. This decision may have significant implications for Wisconsin politics and policy. While the immediate effect of […]

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PSCW Leadership Changes: Valcq Leaving, Strand Confirmed, Huebner Rejected, Nieto Appointed

Several leadership changes have occurred at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), the state’s utility regulator. Chairperson Rebecca Valcq announced she is resigning from the commission effective this Friday, February 2 (news coverage here and here). In the same announcement, Gov. Tony Evers (D) announced that he had selected current Commissioner Summer Strand to […]

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Gov. Evers Discusses Workforce, Healthcare, PFAS in Sixth State of the State Address

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) delivered his sixth annual State of the State address on January 23 before a joint session of the Wisconsin Legislature. The address was delivered in the Assembly Chambers of the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The governor’s office has released the prepared remarks and a video recording of the speech. […]

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PFAS Update: DNR Pauses PFAS Groundwater Rulemaking

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced a pause of its rulemaking to establish groundwater standards for several PFAS compounds. This is due to the requirements of Wisconsin’s REINS Act, a 2017 law that requires legislative authorization of any administrative rule with a compliance and implementation cost totaling at least $10 million over a two-year period. […]

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PFAS Update: DNR Proposes 20 ppt Groundwater Standard for PFOA, PFOS

On July 14, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) held a public stakeholder meeting on a rulemaking to establish groundwater standards for several PFAS compounds. Notably, DNR staff announced that the proposed rule will only seek to regulate two compounds, PFOA and PFOS. The scope statement for the rule included the possibility of regulating PFBS […]

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WEC Energy Group, Consumer Advocates Negotiating “Ability to Pay” Pilot Program

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a utility bill relief program for low-income households could soon be put to the test in Wisconsin. Organizations that advocate for utility customers are working with WEC Energy Group, a large investor-owned electric utility, to develop a pilot program that would cap utility costs at six percent of household […]

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