For the last several years, WiAHC has been advocating to eliminate this outdated requirement in state regulations that require home health agencies to create professional advisory bodies and hold annual meetings. WiAHC has been advocating for this change since professional advisory committees were removed from federal regulations in 2017, as home health agencies are already overseen by a governing body pursuant to federal regulations.  In addition, home health agencies are also overseen by governing bodies in Wisconsin regulations.  In 2017, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also put in place federal regulations requiring home health agencies to implement ongoing quality assessment and performance improvement (QAPI) programs.  Essentially, CMS replaced professional advisory committees in federal regulations with the creation of the QAPI program.

In January 2023, WiAHC formally requested that DHS eliminate professional advisory bodies for home health care agencies in the agency’s biennial rules review – a process by which DHS makes technical changes and updates to existing state regulations. DHS agreed to include this change in their 2023 biennial rules review. Subsequently, WiAHC submitted written and verbal testimony to DHS in 2025 supporting the elimination of professional advisory bodies.

According to the state Administrative Code, which includes all Wisconsin state regulations, the state Department of Health Services (DHS) 2023 biennial rules review that eliminates home health agency professional advisory bodies from state regulations took effect on March 1, 2024. Therefore, as is reflected in the state Administrative Code, there is no longer a requirement for home health agencies in Wisconsin to put in place professional advisory bodies and hold annual meetings. Thanks to the advocacy of WiAHC members, WiAHC was successful in advocating to eliminate this duplicative and burdensome requirement in state regulations! However, WiAHC members may want to consider seeking independent legal counsel when implementing this change.

On Friday, February 20, the Wisconsin State Assembly concluded its work for the 2025-2026 regular legislative session and the state Senate is expected to conclude their final action on March 17.

As this is written, the Legislature proved the following bills of interest to WiAHC:

Medicaid Postpartum Legislation

• On March 18, Governor Evers signed Senate Bill 23, which extends Medicaid post-partum coverage to mothers to one year after the birth of a child.
• Under current state law, Medicaid coverage for low-income mothers lasts for the first 60 days after the birth of a child.
• This bill requires the state Department of Health Services to request approval from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to extend such coverage to one year after the birth of a child.
• SB23 passed the Assembly on February 19 by a vote of 95-1. It passed the Senate on April 22, 2025, by a vote of 32-1.

Senate Bill 264 (Requires health insurers to cover diagnostic breast exams and supplemental breast screening exams for those who are at increased risk of breast cancer or have heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue) passed the legislature.

• This bill also requires such screenings to be covered by Medicaid.
• SB264 passed the Assembly on February 19 by a vote of 96-0. It passed the Senate on October 14, 2025, by a vote of 32-1. It will subsequently go to the Governor for his consideration.

Senate Bill 822 (Allows discounts for the prompt payment of health care fees) passed the legislature.

• Under current state law, a clinician is not allowed to reduce (or offer to reduce) a patient’s coinsurance or deductible unless paying the amount would be an undue financial hardship for the patient.
• This bill clarifies that discounts for prompt patient payment do not violate existing prohibitions in state law. It also clarifies that clinicians may (but are not required to) offer a discount to patients for prompt payment. Discounts are limited to 15% of the bill (and are reasonably related to the avoided amount of collection costs).
• The bill also includes the following requirements related to allowing such a payment discount:
• The discount must be offered uniformly for prompt payment, without regard to the insurer or the patient's reason for seeking care.
• The clinician must notify insurers by posting the most up-to-date discount policy on their website (public advertising of the discount is prohibited unless otherwise required by law).
• The discount cannot be provided before the service is scheduled or outside the clinician’s ordinary course of dealing with patients (e.g., at registration, billing, or payment).
• Clinicians cannot shift the cost of the discount to other payers or include it in third-party payer contracts (except as allowed by state or federal law).
• This bill passed the Assembly on February 19 by voice vote. It passed the Senate on February 11. It will now go to the Governor for his consideration.

Once the state Senate has adjourned for the 2025-2026 regular legislative session, we will provide you with an appropriate update.

[NOTE: Individuals and topics referenced in the following poll summary were selected to reflect information of general interest to WiAHC members. The inclusion of any particular item does not in any way reflect the views of WiAHC, Hoven Consulting, Badger Bay Management Company or its employees or representatives.]

On February 25, 2026, Marquette University Law School Poll released its most recent poll, which surveyed 818 registered Wisconsin voters between February 11-19, 2026. The margin of error is +/-4.3 percentage points. This poll is the first Wisconsin state-specific Marquette poll since October 2025. This new poll covers political approval ratings, 2026 candidates, as well as various policy areas.

The following February 2026 poll findings may be of interest:

Elected Officials

President Trump Job Approval

• 44% approve of the job President Trump (R) is doing.
• 54% disapprove.
• 2% don’t know.

Governor Tony Evers Job Approval

• 49% approve of the job Governor Tony Evers (D) is doing.
• 45% disapprove.
• 6% don’t know.

Wisconsin Legislature Job Approval

• 41% approve of the state legislature’s job performance.
• 44% disapprove.
• 15% don’t know.

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates – 2026 August Primary Election

The following are the polling results of Wisconsin Republican primary voters when asked for whom they would vote:

• Congressman Tom Tiffany:                                                      35%      
• Medical Service Technician Andy Manske:                            2%

NOTE: 63 percent of Republican primary voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for governor.

The following are the polling results of Wisconsin Democratic primary voters when asked for whom they would vote:

• State Rep. Francesca Hong (Madison):                                                                 11%
•  Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes:                                                 10%
• Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez:                                                                   6%
• Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley:                                                    3%
• Former Non-Profit Executive Joel Brennan:                                                        2%
• Former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes:        2%
• State Sen. Kelda Roys (Madison):                                                                           1%
• Former State Rep. Brett Hulsey (Madison Suburbs):                                         1%

NOTE: 65 percent of Democratic primary voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for governor.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates – 2026 Spring Election

The following are the polling results of Wisconsin registered voters when asked for whom they would vote in the April State Supreme Court election:

• Waukesha-Based State Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar (Conservative Candidate):                12%
• Madison-Based State Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor (Liberal Candidate):                          17%

NOTE: 66% of Wisconsin registered voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for the state Supreme Court.

General Issues

The most important issue among registered voters:

• Inflation and the cost of living:                  34%
• Health insurance:                                         14%
• Illegal immigration and border security:  13%
• Taxes:                                                               9%
• Jobs and the economy:                                9%
• Affordability of housing:                               7%
• Gun violence:                                                  5%
• Abortion policy:                                              5%
• Public schools:                                                4%
• Crime in your community:                           1%

[NOTE: Candidates referenced in the following political update were selected to reflect information of general interest to WiAHC members. The inclusion of any particular item does not in any way reflect the views of WiAHC, Hoven Consulting, Badger Bay Management Company or its employees or representatives.]

On February 19, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Western Racine County) announced that he will not run for re-election this year. He is the longest-serving Assembly Speaker in Wisconsin history, serving in that role since 2013. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2004. Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva Area) is widely expected to be the next Assembly Speaker, if the GOP maintains control of that chamber.

In mid-March, state Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) has indicated that he will not run for re-election this year. He was first elected in 2010, lost a recall election in 2012, was elected again in 2014, and has been re-elected since. The boundaries of his state Senate district have changed significantly during redistricting that took place in 2024. This district is now a “swing” district and is considered to be one of the state Senate districts that Democrats have targeted in this year’s elections. As this is written, the only declared candidate is Democrat Trevor Jung, who is a former City of Racine Alder and is the current Director of Transit and Mobility for the city.

Over the last month, several Democrats have announced their respective candidacies against several incumbent Democratic members of the state Assembly from Milwaukee:

·        Most recently, Milwaukee Public School Board Member Mimi Reza announced that she will run against Rep. Priscilla Prado (D-Milwaukee South Side) in the Democratic primary in August. No Republicans have announced runs for this Assembly seat.

·        Earlier in March, former Madison Alder and Milwaukee small business owner Bridget Maniaci announced she will run against Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee East Side & Bay View Neighborhoods) in the Democratic primary. No Republicans have announced runs for this Assembly seat.

·        Several weeks ago, non-profit employee and community activist Ismael Luna announced that he will run against Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milwaukee South Side) in the Democratic primary. No Republicans have announced runs for this Assembly seat.

On March 9, State Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler, a conservative, announced that she will not run for a third 10-year term in 2027. She first won election to the state Supreme Court in 2007 and previously served as a Washington County judge, a prosecutor and an attorney in private practice. As this is written, no individuals have announced that they will run for this position. However, such announcements could occur after this year’s spring election on April 7.

On January 22, the Senate Committee on Insurance voted unanimously to advance Senate Bill 373, which places limits on insurance companies requiring prior authorization for certain services. Specifically, the bill allows 12 patient visits for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and chiropractic services – without requiring prior authorization. In addition, it limits the timeframe for subsequent insurance reauthorization to three business days.

As home health agencies provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy to patients, this bill would have a positive impact on agencies and their patients, if it is enacted. During this committee’s hearing on this legislation last October, WiAHC submitted testimony noting our organization’s appreciation for this legislation. However, the testimony also requested that the legislation’s authors add home-based skilled nursing care to this legislation. In addition, WiAHC’s Madison lobbyists advocated for this addition to the bill. Unfortunately, however, the bill’s authors declined to amend their legislation to make this inclusion.

On February 12, the state Assembly unanimously passed Assembly Bill 910, which would put in place a process for each state government agency to review the fees and fines under their respective purview and recommend any updates to the Legislature. Numerous such fees and fines have not been updated in 20, 30, or 40 or more years. It’s also worth noting that fees addressed by this bill include occupational credentialing fees, which are mostly assessed by the state Department of Safety and Professional Services.

In particular, the bill would require each state government agency to undertake a fee and fine review every six years. As a result of this review, each agency would make recommendations to the Legislature to consider updating fees and fines to take into account inflation. However, under the bill, an agency is allowed to recommend no changes to a particular fee or fine. If an agency does recommend an increase to a particular fee or fine, they may recommend implementing it over four years to minimize impact on affected parties.

This bill will now be sent to the state Senate for its consideration.

In late January, the Legislature’s budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance released funding to the state Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) intended to improve occupational credential processing efficiencies. In particular, the committee released $1.8 million to DSPS to update customer call center software, implement a 24-hour “AI-agent chat” pilot program intended to answer most “how to” questions, and add six contract staff members to implement these upgrades and to provide customer assistance.

In January, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) announced a projection that the state government will have a $2.5 billion surplus at the end of the current Fiscal Year 2025-2027 budget timeframe. This projected amount is $1.5 billion more than previously projected. Most of that increase is due to nearly $1.4 billion in increased state tax collections. LFB’s analysis for this higher-than-expected surplus is due to growth in the 2025 gross domestic product due to a lower rate of inflation. LFB also indicated that a lower-than-expected tariff rate also played a role.

At the end of January, President Donald Trump endorsed Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-Minocqua) in his campaign for governor. Shortly after, Republican gubernatorial candidate Josh Schoemann – who serves as Washington County Executive – ended his campaign. As such, Congressman Tiffany is the sole major candidate running for the Republican nomination for governor.

Also in January, state Senator Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) announced that he would not run for re-election this year. After that announcement, physical therapist and business owner Mike Roberts (R-Pewaukee) announced his candidacy for this seat. State Representative Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa) had previously announced her candidacy for this state Senate seat. This is viewed as perhaps the most competitive state Senate election in 2026.

On February 2, state Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) announced that he will not run for re-election this year. Senator Nass started his service in the Legislature in 1991, as a member of the state Assembly. Following that announcement, former state Representative Ellen Schutt (R-Clinton) announced her candidacy for this state Senate seat.

The Wisconsin Association for Home Healthcare is excited to introduce our 2026 Board of Directors!

These leaders bring valuable experience in home health care and share a strong commitment to advancing high-quality, patient-centered care across Wisconsin.

Please join us in welcoming:

• Christa Walz, MA, PT (Chair), Executive Director, Adoray Home Health & Hospice
• Vicki Meyer, CPA (Vice Chair), Senior Vice President and CFO, Horizon Home Care and Hospice
• Nicole Naidl (Secretary/Treasurer), Manager of Operations, Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Home Health & Hospice
• Jayne Thill, MSN, BSN, RN III, COQS (Immediate Past-Chair), Regional Quality Director, Ascension At Home Together with Compassus
• Tina Kimps (Regional Representative), Area Vice President, Advocate Aurora at Home
• Nicole Ruh (Regional Representative), RN HHC/Hospice Supervisor, Calumet County
• Michelle Esser (Regional Representative), Director, Upland Hills Health Home Care & Hospice
• Lindsey Howard (At-Large Director), Regional Director of Government Affairs, Maxim Healthcare Services
• Amy Driscoll (At-Large Director), Director of Training and Education, Advocate Aurora at Home
• Audra Dennis (At-Large Director), RN, BSN, COS-C, Home Health Director of Clinical Operations, Ascension At Home Together with Compassus

We’re grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to the insight and leadership they’ll bring as we continue advocating for home and community-based care throughout the state.