insurance coverage in 2014, if Wisconsin takes full advantage of measures in the federal health care reform law, known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
In light of the tragic Sandy Hook shootings, there clearly are not words that adequately express the depth of the tragedy. Our support and thoughts are with the families who are suffering, not only from this incident, but countless others on a daily basis – for each day there are as many more children killed in violent acts and many...
One might think that recent Supreme Court rulings restricting life without parole (LWOP) sentences for juveniles would provide a stronger spark for states to alter some of their sentencing practices. But, as is highlighted in a recent New York Times editorial, it appears that it will take more than a Supreme Court ruling to alter how...
The federal government today announced that it is awarding Wisconsin a 2012 bonus of $23.3 million for the state’s success in improving children’s access to health care through the BadgerCare program. Wisconsin has also been awarded a supplemental bonus of $8.7 million for 2011, bringing the total of new federal funds to $32 million....
Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union just released an extensive report, Growing Up Locked Down – Youth in Solitary Confinement in Jails and Prisons across the United States, provides further evidence about the misfit of holding youth in adult facilities. While not all youth end up in solitary confinement while in an...
The evidence is clear – frequent school suspensions place youth at greater risk of a host of “rotten outcomes”, not the least of which is involvement in the juvenile or criminal justice system. Noting that this is a nationwide problem, Senator Dick Durbin held a hearing last Wednesday of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the...
After Pause in October, Plunge in Enrollment Resumes BadgerCare enrollment fell by about 3,470 people in November, as the policy changes implemented in July continue to cause people to lose their BadgerCare coverage. In the first five months after those changes were initiated, BadgerCare enrollment has decreased by more than 18,500...
The so-called “fiscal cliff” could affect Wisconsinites in innumerable ways. For many of us the immediate effects will be relatively minor, whereas for others – particularly jobless workers who are receiving federal unemployment benefits – there will be an abrupt and very damaging termination of a critical lifeline.Over the past week...
Pressure to direct government funding toward smart, effective initiatives may be why a new type of bond, social impact bonds, are becoming financing options for social programs. Early initiatives using social impact bonds – essentially borrowing funds to pay for savings later – have been used in other areas, but now may be making their...
On Monday, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) document about provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) related to Exchanges, market reforms, and Medicaid. It is a fairly lengthy document (with 40 questions and responses), but it’s considerably easier reading than the...
Your address helps us identify your legislators and the most relevant messages to send you.