Bills of Note: Dental Therapists
Date Thu, Aug. 22, 2019 - 2:58pm By Hamilton
The Senate Committee on Health & Human Services this week held a public hearing on a bill that would create a new license in Wisconsin for dental therapists, an intermediate level of dentistry practice between hygienists and dentists. The bipartisan bill has received wide support from a coalition of 62 stakeholder groups but is opposed by […]
Gov. Evers Issues Executive Order on Prescription Drug Prices
Date Thu, Aug. 22, 2019 - 11:14am By Hamilton
This week, Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order creating a Task Force on Reducing Prescription Drug Prices. The task force is charged with addressing the rising cost of prescription drugs in Wisconsin, which the executive order says cost Wisconsin residents $1.3 billion in 2019 and costs the state’s Medicaid program $400 million annually. The […]
Gov. Evers Announces Caregiving Task Force Members
Date Thu, Aug. 22, 2019 - 11:10am By Hamilton
This week, Gov. Tony Evers announced the members appointed to his Task Force on Caregiving. The governor created the task force by executive order in February. The task force is charged with examining strategies to develop the direct care workforce, reduce health care costs for care givers, and increase access and quality of care. The […]
Medicaid Expansion Bill Circulating
Date Wed, Aug. 7, 2019 - 10:29am By Hamilton
This week, Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) and Rep. Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee) circulated legislation (LRB 2962) to expand the eligibility level for the state Medicaid program to up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line. Under the Affordable Care Act, states which expand Medicaid receive enhanced federal funding. The bill requires the Department of Health […]
June 4 – JFC Passes Medicaid Budget
Date Thu, Jun. 13, 2019 - 3:15pm By Hamilton
JFC passed an omnibus motion on the Department of Health Services (DHS) budget, specifically addressing Medicaid, public health, FoodShare, behavioral health, and quality assurance. Overall, the motion spends: $187 million (in all funds) less than the governor’s proposal in 2019-20. $1.6 billion (in all funds) more in 2019-20 compared to the base year doubled. As […]
Gov. Evers Announces Health Care Coverage Partnership
Date Thu, Jun. 13, 2019 - 10:27am By Hamilton
Gov. Tony Evers, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and the Department of Health Services announced last week a Health Care Coverage Partnership aimed at boosting health care insurance enrollment, through both the individual market and Medicaid. The Partnership will: Educate consumers by promoting HealthCare.gov and using insurance agents and navigators. Engage with stakeholders, […]
PA Day at the Capitol 2019
Date Thu, May. 16, 2019 - 3:45pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants held PA Day at the Capitol on May 14. Nearly 50 PAs from across the state came to Madison to advocate in support of its Collaboration And Rural Expansion of Services (CARES) Act. The soon-to-be-introduced bill enhances physician-PA team practice, preserves the PA role in a competitive health care […]
Positive Medicaid Budget Projected by End of Current Biennium
Date Fri, Apr. 5, 2019 - 11:11am By Hamilton
On March 29, the Department of Health Services (DHS) submitted an updated projection for the state’s Medicaid budget to the Joint Finance Committee. DHS estimates the Medicaid budget will end the current 2017-19 biennium with a surplus of $233.9 million GPR. The biennium ends on June 30, 2019. This is an increase of $21.1 million […]
Wisconsin Withdraws From ACA Lawsuit
Date Fri, Apr. 5, 2019 - 10:56am By Hamilton
Attorney General Josh Kaul has withdrawn Wisconsin from a multistate lawsuit seeking to declare the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. Wisconsin and Texas had originally led the litigation under former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. The lawsuit argues that the ACA’s individual mandate is unconstitutional, and, because the individual mandate is “essential” to the ACA, […]
Health Care Issues Moving in the Legislature
Date Fri, Mar. 22, 2019 - 11:00am By Hamilton
Although the legislature is not planning to meet in March and may not meet in April, too, for floor action, several notable health care related bills are making their way through committees. Below is an overview of major health care issues this session and their current status in the legislative process. Dental Therapists – […]