By Hoven Consulting – WiAHC’s lobbying firm

• WiAHC Legislative and Regulatory Priorities Survey – Summary of Results

To prepare for the 2023-2024 state legislative session, WiAHC conducted a membership-wide survey in May to seek member feedback on potential WiAHC legislative and regulatory priorities.  Based on the survey, the following topics were identified as the top three policy issues:

The WiAHC Legislative Committee and leadership will continue to work to finalize the policy agenda.  Once that is completed, it will be shared with the full membership in a future newsletter. 

• Legislative Council Study Committee Members Announced

As mentioned in a prior WiAHC monthly newsletter, the legislature organizes study committees in even-numbered years to hold public hearings and perform in-depth reviews of various state policy matters facing Wisconsin.  Legislators and members of the public are members of these committees.  Once these committees complete their series of public hearings in late 2022 or early 2023, they will draft legislation to address these policy areas and submit them to the legislature for possible consideration. 

Two of these committees will likely be of interest to WiAHC members:  the Study Committee on Occupational Licenses and the Study Committee on Uniform Death Reporting Standards.  In early June, the legislature selected members of both committees.  The Occupational Licenses committee includes two members from the health care field – a senior vice president from the Wisconsin Hospital Association and the director of business development from a rural community clinic.  The Uniform Death Reporting Standards committee includes two medical examiners and a public health nurse. 

These committees will likely hold their first meeting later this summer.  The committees will hold public, in-person meetings in Madison once per month until they have completed their work.  It is likely that these committee meetings will be streamed live on Wisconsin Eye.  Of course, the WiAHC government affairs team will monitor the work of these committees.  

• DHS Announces Grant Program Promoting Health Equity in COVID-19 Vaccinations

In May, the state Department of Health Services announced their “Moving Forward Together Grant Program”.  This program is intended to improve equity with respect to COVID-19 vaccination in Wisconsin.  Various community organizations are eligible to apply for grant awards, which are capped at $400,000 per grant, to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates in Wisconsin, particularly in underserved communities.  DHS will accept grant applications on a rolling basis until funding is no longer available.  However, it is important to note that grant expense reimbursement will occur through November 30, 2022.  More information is available at:  https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/moving-forward-together-grant.htm

• DSPS Eliminates Fees to Increase Participation in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

In early June, the state Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) announced that the agency is no longer charging fees to integrate the Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (ePDMP) into electronic health record systems managed by health systems and other health care entities.  The intent is to simplify access for health care organizations, as well as increase wider participation within the health care community.  To apply for a no-monthly fee ePDMP integration or for more information, go to the ePDMP website.