There was good news and bad news from the Department of Health Services (DHS) Wednesday – but mostly it was very disappointing news. The good part is that DHS released the data that Senator Baldwin and others have been seeking, as I explained in a blog post on Tuesday. That data is from a cross match of state and federal computer...
We took a look at Wisconsin Shares data over the past five years. Because of frozen rates, more attendance based (instead of enrollment based) authorizations, and other changes, the average payment per child has gone down dramatically across the state. Providers are receiving an average of 21% less in reimbursements. This amounts to a...
As states have tackled the issues of health care reform and Medicaid eligibility, Wisconsin has taken a unique approach. The good news is that our state doesn’t have a gap in coverage for adults below the poverty level – in contrast to the other 23 state that have turned down federal funding for Medicaid expansions. The bad news is...
Required Reports Are More than a Year Overdue Wisconsin Citizen Action filed an open records request last week seeking data that the Department of Human Services (DHS) promised to release in June, which will show how many of the adults that the state knocked off BadgerCare have gotten insurance through the new federal Marketplace. I’m...
Seven Read to Lead grants for early childhood and early literacy efforts were announced by Governor Scott Walker and State Superintendent Tony Evers: • Central City Cyberschool of Milwaukee — $40,516 for teacher professional development programs and for students to build at-home libraries. • Children’s Hospital of...
The case for expanding BadgerCare coverage to all adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) has been strengthened greatly by four new documents that were issued over the last two weeks. Although these four reports cover a wide variety of topics, and two don’t even mention expanding Medicaid, each of the four sheds new light...
Wisconsin’s Dr. Dipesh Navsaria is featured in this New York Times article about Reach Out and Read, explaining the program that helps pediatricians engage with parents about the importance of reading and interaction with infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics is announcing a policy to encourage parents to read aloud to their...
At a conference in Washington DC last week, the Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) initiated an annual award for health care advocacy. WCCF’s research director, Jon Peacock, is the first recipient of the “Bulldog” award, which is named after the Georgetown University mascot. CCF says the award is for Jon’s “determination...
Enrollment of childless adults in BadgerCare is far above the anticipated level, and that’s having a significant effect on the state budget. The much higher than anticipated cost of covering that population means Wisconsin could save far more than previously estimated by taking the enhanced federal funding for Medicaid expansions. That...
The Marshfield News Herald and Stevens Point Journal launched a ten part series last week on the importance of early childhood education. Click this link to access the videos Here is the full schedule: June 18: Seeking quality child care June 25: Language development and early literacy July 2: 39 Weeks campaign and prenatal health July...
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