Rural Reporter
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Report: Wisconsin Municipalities Depend Most on Property Taxes
(02/21/2019)
Cities and villages in Wisconsin rely more heavily on property taxes than any other state in the Midwest, and to a greater degree than most states nationally, according to a new report by the nonpartisan, independent Wisconsin Policy Forum.
The report, “Dollars and Sense: Is it time for a new municipal financing framework in Wisconsin?” finds that in a region of twelve Midwestern states, Wisconsin is the only state in which municipalities generally are authorized to levy only the property tax, and is the only state in which property taxes represent the largest share of municipal revenue. Read the full report here, executive summary here, or view the interactive data here. (Source and Image: Wisconsin Policy Forum) -
New Report Examines Medicaid Expansion Across States
(02/21/2019)
A new study that compares private sector health insurance costs and emergency room visits in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility and those that did not concludes that Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin would cost taxpayers an annual $600 million, increase private healthcare costs as providers seek to make up for low Medicaid rates, and see an increase in emergency room visits.
The study, titled The Impact of Medicaid Expansion: Examining the cost to consumers and the net impact on Wisconsin, comes from the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy (CROWE) at the University of Wisconsin. Evers has said he plans to include Medicaid expansion in his budget proposal, which will be announced at the end of this month.
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Do Hospital Closures Affect Patient Time in an Ambulance?
(02/21/2019)
When a hospital closes in a community, patients needing emergency care may spend more time in an ambulance to receive care in an emergency department. A study at the University of Kentucky examined how a hospital closure affects patient transport time in both rural and urban areas.
The study found that for rural calls, the mean transport time prior to a hospital closure was about 14 minutes, and increased to about 25 minutes after a hospital closed. In urban areas, the report found there was no change in transport times after a hospital had closed. (Source and Image: University of Kentucky's Rural and Underserved Health Research Center; Image describes hospital closures, with rural closures shown as diamonds) -
The Sustainability of Rural Hospitals
(02/21/2019)
A new report from Navigant, a management consulting company based in Chicago, finds that hospitals across the nation are at high financial risk of closing unless their financial situations improve. Thirty four states have what the report considers five or more rural hospitals at high financial risk, including Wisconsin. Several factors cited for the problem include a 'degradation' of the payer mix, declining inpatient care, and inability to leverage innovation.
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State Lawmakers Propose Tax Break For Caregivers
(02/20/2019)
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is introducing a plan that would give family members a tax break to offset the out-of-pocket costs of caregiving. The tax credit would cover various expenses, including home improvements needed for mobility or safety, legal or financial services or a personal-care attendant, reports Wisconsin Public Radio. Governor Tony Evers also announced this week that he has commissioned a task force to examine the issue. (Photo: skeeze, Pixabay)
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Surgeon General Identifies Areas of Concern
(02/20/2019)
The nation's Surgeon General identified three priority areas when he spoke at a recent gathering of rural advocates in Washington D.C. Jerome Adams, M.D. identified substance abuse and the opioid epidemic, the improvement of community health, and the direct link between poor health and national security as his main areas of focus.
Speaking at the recent Policy Institute presented by the National Rural Health Association, Surgeon General Adams also commented on the issue of Medicaid expansion.
"It's not my job to determine whether or not your state expands or doesn't; it is my job to make sure that all states understand the array of tools that are available," said Adams.
The American Academy of Family Physicians has an extensive write-up of his comments. (Source and Image: AAFP)
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What Have Other States Done With Telehealth Legislation?
(02/19/2019)
A national telehealth policy group has released a roundup of telehealth legislation in 2018, organized by state and cross-listed by topic. The bulk of the bills tended to focus on regulation, licensing, and reimbursement. Read the roundup to see what other states are doing to advance telehealth aims. (Source and Image: Center for Connected Health Policy, a part of the National Telehealth Policy Resource Center)
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Senator Cowles to Host Listening Sessions Friday
(02/19/2019)
Wisconsin Senator Rob Cowles's office announced that the Senator will hold listening sessions in Kaukana and Ashwaubenon on Friday, February 22nd. Constituents are invited to show up and express their opinions on the budget or proposed legislation for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session. Senator Cowles serves District 2, which extends from Shawano to New London to De Pere.
Times and locations are as follows:
Kaukauna City Hall
144 W 2nd Street, Kaukauna
2:00 PM to 3:30 PMAshwaubenon Village Hall
2155 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon
4:30 PM to 6:00 PM -
Shrinking OB-GYN Coverage in Wisconsin
(02/19/2019)
Seeing an obstetrician/gynecologist is getting harder in Wisconsin, particularly for women in rural areas. 20 of Wisconsin's 72 counties don't have a single OB-GYN. WAOW reports on the provider shortage, and the increasing drive times facing pregnant women.
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Evers Creates Caregiving Task Force
(02/19/2019)
Governor Tony Evers signed an executive order on Monday creating a caregiving task force. The task force will be staffed by the Department of Health Service with assistance from the Department of Workforce Development, with additional task force members representing different backgrounds related to caregiving. The group is tasked with measures to buoy and expand the direct care workforce, and with the establishment of a registry of home care providers. (Photo by skeeze, Pixabay)
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Northern Counties Lobby State for More Child Welfare Funding
(02/18/2019)
Counties across Wisconsin have faced heavier caseloads and costs for child protection services as a result of parental substance abuse in the state. County officials in the northern part of the state are now asking the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families to set aside more money to accommodate the overload. Wisconsin Public Radio speaks to officials in Douglas and Bayfield counties about the situation. (Image: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)
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Rural Wisconsin Areas Awarded Entrepreneurship Funds
(02/18/2019)
The Wisconsin Economic Development Council has awarded nine organizations throughout the state grants to develop or expand entrepreneurship programs, reports Urban Milwaukee. The awards reach localities and rural areas across the state, ranging from Madison and Milwaukee to Oconto, Green, Rusk, Rock, and Eau Claire Counties. The grants are awarded as part of WEDC's Entrepreneurship Support Program, which support technology-based and growth-oriented startup and early-stage businesses. For more information on applying to the program, click here. (Photo: doctor-a, Pixabay)
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Gov. Evers Announces Plan To Legalize Medical Marijuana
(02/18/2019)
Governor Tony Evers announced on Monday his budget will include a plan to decriminalize marijuana in small amounts and legalize the drug for medial uses. The plan will also expunge records of individuals who have completed their sentence or probation for possession. The state's medical marijuana program would be overseen by Wisconsin's Department of Health Services, and the growing, selling, and testing of the drug would be overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, reports the Wisconsin State Journal.
The full proposal will be released at the end of the month. (Image: Matteo Paganel)
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'Alarmingly' Low Job Satisfaction Making Doctors Unwell
(02/14/2019)
A Wisconsin Medical Society report says that Wisconsin physicians are experiencing burnout at levels that surpass national benchmarks. The report, which is the result of a survey of over a thousand Wisconsin doctors, suggests that the primary causes of physician burnout include utilization and interactions with electronic health records (EHRss), lack of a supportive practice environment, loss of autonomy, and poor work/life balance. Read the full report here, or read the article from Wisconsin Public Radio.
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Wisconsin Hospitals Rank Nationally
(02/14/2019)
Seven Wisconsin hospitals are among the top 250 in the nation, according to a recent report from HealthGrades. The award, previously known as Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, ranks hospitals based on their patient outcomes for 32 conditions and procedures based on Medicare data. (Source: healthgrades via Wisconsin Health News; Image: Jason Leung on Unsplash)
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New Report On Rural Smoking Released
(02/14/2019)
A new official report from several public health institutions highlights the impact of tobacco use on rural communities. The report looks at cessation (quitting smoking), prevention of initiation (preventing starting), and public health interventions to produce smoke-free air. And, the report details recommendations for advancing rural tobacco control initiatives, for federal and state agencies and for communities, tribes, and local stakeholders.
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White Houses Announces New Broadband Access Effort
(02/14/2019)
The White House announced on Wednesday a new effort to increase high speed broadband access, particularly in rural areas. The American Broadband Initiative Milestones Report offers recommendations grouped into three categories: streamlining federal permitting processes to speed broadband deployment, leveraging federal assets to lower the cost of broadband build-outs, and maximizing the impact of federal funding.
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Opinion: Why Your Hospital Bill Is Too High, or Too Low
(02/14/2019)
An opinion post at The Daily Yonder outlines the general ecosystem of hospital and medical bills. Understanding that ecosystem illustrates why Medicaid expansion lowers the cost of commercial insurance, writes Wayne Myers, former head of the federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the National Rural Health Association.
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The A.I. Will See You Now
(02/13/2019)
"Deep learning," the use of complex systems that analyze electronic health records in an effort to flag medical conditions, could be the future of healthcare. An article in the New York Times looks at the use of artificial intelligence and the way it could assist physicians with diagnoses. (Photo: Brian Kostiuk on Unsplash)
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State Dairy Operations Declined in 2018
(02/12/2019)
In the face of difficult economic conditions, Wisconsin lost nearly 700 dairy herds last year, reports the Wisconsin Ag Connection. Clark County continues to hold the highest number of herds in the state with 782, followed by Marathon County with 494. Florence and Milwaukee Counties each registered just one herd as of January 1, with Forest County losing its last remaining dairy farm during the past year.