Wisconsin Legislative Update
|Medigram Archive
July 11, 2019
This week’s state government update
Meeting with state’s DSPS regarding physician licensing processing times: The Wisconsin Medical Society has been hearing growing concerns about how long it sometimes takes for physicians to obtain a Wisconsin medical license from the State’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). Read more.
Governor signs Society-supported Step Therapy Reform Law
Governor Tony Evers signed into law Tuesday in Janesville a Wisconsin Medical Society-supported bill designed to clarify health insurance industry procedures related to “step therapy.” Read more. (Image via @GovEvers.)
CMS releases MIPS updates
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available several resources for physicians who are participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Read more.
Recommended by Wisconsin Medical Society CEO Bud Chumbley, MD, MBA
Though not all charismatic leaders are bad, research indicates that humble, unassuming leaders are the best for their teams. Read more about leadership characteristics in this Harvard Business Review article.
Upcoming Events
August 15
Innovations in Health Care Task Force
August 22
Opioid Task Force
August 23
Mental and Behavioral Health Task Force
September 20
Council on Legislation
October 3
Opioid Task Force
Visit the Society's calendar for details and to view more events.
May, 2019
Health Committee to amend chiro/sports physicals billState legislation that includes a requirement for Wisconsin’s high schools and some University of Wisconsin colleges to accept pre-participation athletic physicals conducted by a chiropractor faces a key committee vote this week. The Wisconsin State Senate’s Committee on Health and Human Services is voting by paper ballot through 11 a.m. Friday on an amendment that would remove all references to sports physicals from Assembly Bill 260.
The Society has vehemently opposed the sports physicals portion of the bill since AB 260 was first introduced in April 2017, and therefore strongly supports passage of this amendment. Alan Schwartzstein, MD, appeared on behalf of the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians and the Society opposing the bill and did an excellent job summarizing the negatives of the proposal.
After passing the State Assembly on a rancorous voice vote in June 2017, the bill has languished in the Senate Health Committee in no small part due to the widespread backlash legislators have heard from physicians and health care organizations across the state.
The Society also registered support on other bills before Tuesday’s Senate Health committee hearing:
Contact Mark Grapentine, JD, in the Society’s Government Relations Department with any questions.
July 11, 2019
This week’s state government update
Meeting with state’s DSPS regarding physician licensing processing times: The Wisconsin Medical Society has been hearing growing concerns about how long it sometimes takes for physicians to obtain a Wisconsin medical license from the State’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). Read more.
Governor signs Society-supported Step Therapy Reform Law
Governor Tony Evers signed into law Tuesday in Janesville a Wisconsin Medical Society-supported bill designed to clarify health insurance industry procedures related to “step therapy.” Read more. (Image via @GovEvers.)
CMS releases MIPS updates
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available several resources for physicians who are participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Read more.
Recommended by Wisconsin Medical Society CEO Bud Chumbley, MD, MBA
Though not all charismatic leaders are bad, research indicates that humble, unassuming leaders are the best for their teams. Read more about leadership characteristics in this Harvard Business Review article.
Upcoming Events
August 15
Innovations in Health Care Task Force
August 22
Opioid Task Force
August 23
Mental and Behavioral Health Task Force
September 20
Council on Legislation
October 3
Opioid Task Force
Visit the Society's calendar for details and to view more events.
May, 2019
Health Committee to amend chiro/sports physicals billState legislation that includes a requirement for Wisconsin’s high schools and some University of Wisconsin colleges to accept pre-participation athletic physicals conducted by a chiropractor faces a key committee vote this week. The Wisconsin State Senate’s Committee on Health and Human Services is voting by paper ballot through 11 a.m. Friday on an amendment that would remove all references to sports physicals from Assembly Bill 260.
The Society has vehemently opposed the sports physicals portion of the bill since AB 260 was first introduced in April 2017, and therefore strongly supports passage of this amendment. Alan Schwartzstein, MD, appeared on behalf of the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians and the Society opposing the bill and did an excellent job summarizing the negatives of the proposal.
After passing the State Assembly on a rancorous voice vote in June 2017, the bill has languished in the Senate Health Committee in no small part due to the widespread backlash legislators have heard from physicians and health care organizations across the state.
The Society also registered support on other bills before Tuesday’s Senate Health committee hearing:
- Senate Bill 684: License exemption for visiting sports teams’ physicians. This is the companion bill to Assembly Bill 766, which the Assembly Health Committee passed on February 1. The Senate Health paper ballot also includes SB 684.
- Senate Bill 742: Intensive Care coordination program in Medicaid. Another paper ballot item in Senate Health, SB 742 incentivizes successful programs aimed at reducing unnecessary emergency department visits for Medicaid patients; the Aurora Health Care and Ascension Wisconsin health care systems have shown these efforts to be cost-savers for the Medicaid program while providing focused care for patients.
- Senate Bill 587: Limiting sales of dextromethorphan. Society policy MCH-029 is entirely on point with this bill that bars minors from obtaining dextromethorphan without a prescription. Senate Health is voting on this bill also.
Contact Mark Grapentine, JD, in the Society’s Government Relations Department with any questions.