A local coalition of business, labor and health-care leaders seeking to address the inequity in federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid in Wisconsin, first announced in August, has expanded with 10 new members.
The group is seeking to address the $1 billion shortfall in federal dollars for Wisconsin health care, and the cost-shifting from those programs.
Thomas Hefty, chairman and CEO of Cobalt Corp. who leads the Medicare/Medicaid Equity Coalition for Competitive Wisconsin, noted that Wisconsin is one of several upper Midwest states negatively impacted by Medicare’s payment systems.
"There is a growing sense in Congress that government payment shortfalls disproportionately hurt Midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota," Hefty said. "This knowledge is creating a coalition of lawmakers committed to legislative action."
Competitive Wisconsin representatives noted that Congress is likely to act on Medicare legislation this year, and they are encouraged with the demonstrated interest within the Wisconsin congressional delegation to address Medicare payment equity and adequacy issues.
"Our House and Senate leaders are working on payment initiatives that, if enacted, would begin to ‘fix’ several flaws in the way Medicare pays Wisconsin providers," said James Nellen, president of Competitive Wisconsin. "But this will be but an initial step down a path that will require attention well into the future."
While specific physicians, hospitals, home-care and nursing home groups have different issues with the Medicare/Medicaid payment schedules, the overall cost shifting that occurs has caught the attention of a broader group of state leaders who have a common concern regarding the impact of the payment shortfalls on economic growth of the state. It is estimated that Wisconsin’s economy loses $1 billion in Medicare and Medicaid payments.
Members of the coalition are the AFL-CIO, Alliant Energy, Aurora Health Care, Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups, Covenant Healthcare, Freedom Plastics, HUFCOR, Kenosha County, Managed Health Services Insurance Corp., Marshfield Clinic, Medical College of Wisconsin, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Snap-On, WEA Trust, Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals – AFT, Wisconsin Health Care Association, Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Wisconsin Medical Society and Ziegler Companies.
Organizations interested in joining the coalition can call Sharon Cook, executive director of Competitive Wisconsin, at 414-227-1237, or scook@cf-law.com.
