State Medicaid director Michael Heifetz is predicting Congress will re-authorize funding through the Children’s Health Insurance Program by the end of this year. “It may take them to the wire but this is a program that has broad support over
A new study shows about 77 percent of the workers’ compensation benefits received by injured Wisconsin employees go toward paying for medical care, adding another wrinkle to a heated debate between a coalition of employers and the health care industry
A coming showdown at the Capitol between the health care industry and a business coalition over proposed changes to the state workers’ compensation system comes as companies are already seeing major savings under the current model. This year, Wisconsin companies
Wisconsin Healthcare.gov consumers will see a roughly 36 percent increase in their premiums next year, state officials said today, citing increasing uncertainty from insurers over the federal marketplace. Most consumers won’t be affected by the rise, as they’ll also get
Senate President Roger Roth this week referred three fetal tissue bills to a Senate committee after months of delay. Roth, R-Appleton, had been postponing the bills’ introduction because he wanted the Senate GOP caucus to discuss the competing proposals and
The Department of Health Services expects it would run out of federal money from the Children’s Health Insurance Program in April, much later than other states that face uncertainty due to Congress failing to reauthorize CHIP funding. Congress missed its
The state Department of Health Services is projecting that Medicaid costs will be $7.9 million in GPR above what it had budgeted for the 2017-19 biennium. The figure represents a tiny share of the $6.1 billion in GPR that the
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan today railed against the health care bill being considered by the GOP-run Senate, saying it puts at risk coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, said at a news conference in Madison the
Wisconsin is one of the 15 states that would get additional money under a new health care bill that U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson supports, according to a new analysis. The report from the liberal think tank Center on Budget and
In February, the Dane County long-term care program that 41-year-old Sara Yochum has relied on since high school will be phased out. Sara, whose seizures as a child led to permanent brain damage and weakened muscles, got a job through
A key group that helps Wisconsinites enroll in Healthcare.gov plans says it can’t serve some central Wisconsin counties due to coming federal cuts. Covering Wisconsin said it received a notice from the federal government today that it would face a
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities isn’t waiting for any possible changes from state officials on local employees’ health care. Instead, the League is partnering with the insurer WEA Trust to launch a new product next year for cities and villages
Trump’s administration today predicted insurers across the country will continue pulling out of Obamacare plans, but Wisconsin was largely projected to have several options for consumers. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services said today that 47 counties across the
About 89 percent of Wisconsinites who picked a Healthcare.gov plan paid their premiums and activated their coverage, according to a new report from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The figure beats the national percentage of 84.6 percent. The Trump administration
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan this week railed against the House GOP health care bill, predicting Republicans will pay a “big, big price” at the polls next year. The co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus D-Town of Vermont, told a WisPolitics.com
The state Department of Health Services today asked the Trump administration for permission to add drug screenings, premiums and time limits for childless adults on Medicaid. DHS today submitted its request with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose
Though lawmakers have already indicated they plan to spike the proposal, Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel today touted up to $103 million he said the state would save by moving to self-insurance. He also warned the state is likely
A behind-the-scenes battle has erupted at the Capitol over whether lawmakers should add a provision to the state budget that would expand what chiropractors can tell patients about over-the-counter drugs. Doctors, pharmacists and other health care groups want to kill
House Speaker Paul Ryan today rebuffed renewed calls for an independent investigation into Russian interference with the November election following President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, and the reason I say
Gov. Scott Walker and DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today knocked the Joint Finance Committee’s plans to reject the administration’s moves to self-insure state workers. Walker tweeted about the JFC co-chairs’ comments that they expect the committee will reject the contracts
State Medicaid director Michael Heifetz is predicting Congress will re-authorize funding through the Children’s Health Insurance Program by the end of this year. “It may take them to the wire but this is a program that has broad support over many years,” Heifetz told WisPolitics.com in an interview this afternoon.
A new study shows about 77 percent of the workers’ compensation benefits received by injured Wisconsin employees go toward paying for medical care, adding another wrinkle to a heated debate between a coalition of employers and the health care industry at the Capitol. The study from the National Academy of
A coming showdown at the Capitol between the health care industry and a business coalition over proposed changes to the state workers’ compensation system comes as companies are already seeing major savings under the current model. This year, Wisconsin companies are saving nearly $170 million in premiums — or 8.46
Wisconsin Healthcare.gov consumers will see a roughly 36 percent increase in their premiums next year, state officials said today, citing increasing uncertainty from insurers over the federal marketplace. Most consumers won’t be affected by the rise, as they’ll also get higher premium subsidies from the federal government. But about 20,000
Senate President Roger Roth this week referred three fetal tissue bills to a Senate committee after months of delay. Roth, R-Appleton, had been postponing the bills’ introduction because he wanted the Senate GOP caucus to discuss the competing proposals and come to a consensus on which route to take. But
The Department of Health Services expects it would run out of federal money from the Children’s Health Insurance Program in April, much later than other states that face uncertainty due to Congress failing to reauthorize CHIP funding. Congress missed its Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize the program, putting funding for
The state Department of Health Services is projecting that Medicaid costs will be $7.9 million in GPR above what it had budgeted for the 2017-19 biennium. The figure represents a tiny share of the $6.1 billion in GPR that the state is projected to spend in the biennium. But the
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan today railed against the health care bill being considered by the GOP-run Senate, saying it puts at risk coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, said at a news conference in Madison the bill repeals the Affordable Care Act but “does not provide
Wisconsin is one of the 15 states that would get additional money under a new health care bill that U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson supports, according to a new analysis. The report from the liberal think tank Center on Budget and Policy Priorities warns of “harmful consequences” and deep cuts under
In February, the Dane County long-term care program that 41-year-old Sara Yochum has relied on since high school will be phased out. Sara, whose seizures as a child led to permanent brain damage and weakened muscles, got a job through the program when she graduated high school at 21. Twenty
A key group that helps Wisconsinites enroll in Healthcare.gov plans says it can’t serve some central Wisconsin counties due to coming federal cuts. Covering Wisconsin said it received a notice from the federal government today that it would face a 42 percent cut for outreach and enrollment services, despite surpassing
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities isn’t waiting for any possible changes from state officials on local employees’ health care. Instead, the League is partnering with the insurer WEA Trust to launch a new product next year for cities and villages to cover their employees. The move represents the latest tension
Trump’s administration today predicted insurers across the country will continue pulling out of Obamacare plans, but Wisconsin was largely projected to have several options for consumers. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services said today that 47 counties across the nation are currently projected to have no insurers participating in
About 89 percent of Wisconsinites who picked a Healthcare.gov plan paid their premiums and activated their coverage, according to a new report from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The figure beats the national percentage of 84.6 percent. The Trump administration said the national stats showed people are deciding Obamacare plans
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan this week railed against the House GOP health care bill, predicting Republicans will pay a “big, big price” at the polls next year. The co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus D-Town of Vermont, told a WisPolitics.com breakfast in DC that the Affordable Care Act isn’t perfect
The state Department of Health Services today asked the Trump administration for permission to add drug screenings, premiums and time limits for childless adults on Medicaid. DHS today submitted its request with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose leadership has said they’d like to give states more flexibility
Though lawmakers have already indicated they plan to spike the proposal, Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel today touted up to $103 million he said the state would save by moving to self-insurance. He also warned the state is likely to see a 10.4 percent increase in how much it
A behind-the-scenes battle has erupted at the Capitol over whether lawmakers should add a provision to the state budget that would expand what chiropractors can tell patients about over-the-counter drugs. Doctors, pharmacists and other health care groups want to kill a proposal from the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association, which says state
House Speaker Paul Ryan today rebuffed renewed calls for an independent investigation into Russian interference with the November election following President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, and the reason I say that is we have three investigations going on right now,”
Gov. Scott Walker and DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today knocked the Joint Finance Committee’s plans to reject the administration’s moves to self-insure state workers. Walker tweeted about the JFC co-chairs’ comments that they expect the committee will reject the contracts his administration reached as part of the self-insurance plan. “Wrong