On Friday, March 26, Governor Tony Evers signed into law 2021 Wisconsin Act 23, a bipartisan piece of legislation to update how Wisconsin regulates physician assistants (PAs). The bill (Assembly Bill 125) passed the Assembly on March 16 and the Senate on March 23, both on voice votes. Most of the provisions will take effect […]
PBM and PA Bills Head to the Governor; Senate Considers Dental Therapy Bill
March 26, 2021
On Friday, March 19, Governor Tony Evers was presented with Senate Bill 3, a bill authorizing the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) to license and regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The governor can now choose to sign the bill into law or veto it. The Assembly passed the bill on March 16 on […]
Legislature Advances COVID-19 Policies
March 26, 2021
On Tuesday, March 23, the Legislature advanced a series of bills related to COVID-19, including many policies that were originally part of Assembly Bill 1 (AB 1). In February, Gov. Evers vetoed AB 1, an omnibus COVID-19 response package, after he and the Legislature failed to reach a compromise. We covered the story of AB […]
Vaccine Update: Almost 2.5 Million Doses Administered; 15 Percent Fully Vaccinated
March 26, 2021
As of Tuesday, March 23, Wisconsin had been allocated nearly 2.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government. Earlier this month, the state began administering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the third COVID-19 vaccine approved in the United States. As we reported here, Wisconsin was initially allocated 47,000 doses of the Johnson & […]
Governor Evers Signs Two Laws on Vaccine Administration
March 26, 2021
Governor Tony Evers recently signed into law two bills intended to improve vaccine distribution in Wisconsin. The governor signed Assembly Bill 4 into law as 2021 Act 3 on February 19. The bill allows pharmacy technicians, who provide services under the direction of pharmacists, to administer vaccines under the supervision and with proper training. The […]
Vaccine Update: More Than Ten Percent Fully Vaccinated; State Announces Next Priority Group; Third Vaccine Approved
March 12, 2021
As of Tuesday, March 9, Wisconsin had been allocated nearly 1.9 million COVID vaccine doses from the federal government. About 1.74 million vaccine doses have been administered, and more than 600,000 Wisconsin residents or 10.5 percent of the state’s population have completed the two-dose series. Over 60 percent of Wisconsinites aged 65 and older have […]
Governor Evers Signs Bill Including COVID Liability Protections, UI Reforms
February 26, 2021
On Thursday, February 25, Governor Tony Evers signed 2021 Act 4, legislation including both COVID liability protections and reforms to the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) system. The bill cleared the Legislature with widespread support, passing the Senate by 27-3 on February 18 and the Assembly by 89-0 on February 23. Senate President Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield), […]
Vaccine Update: 360,000 Fully Vaccinated; State Announces New Vaccine Sites and Online Registry
February 26, 2021
As of Tuesday, February 23, Wisconsin had been allocated about 1.6 million COVID vaccine doses from the federal government. About 1.2 million vaccine doses have been administered, and about 360,000 Wisconsin residents have completed the two-dose series. Almost half of Wisconsinites aged 65 and older have received at least one dose. Currently, the state is […]
Legislators Reintroducing Physician Assistant Modernization Bill
February 26, 2021
A bipartisan group of legislators are reintroducing legislation to update how Wisconsin regulates physician assistants (PAs). This group includes Senators Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls), Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield), and Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and Representatives Nancy VanderMeer (R-Nekoosa), James Edming (R-Glen Flora), and Dave Considine (D-Baraboo). Similar legislation passed the Assembly on a voice vote in February […]
Governor Evers’ 2021-23 Executive Budget Highlights: Health Care and Insurance
February 19, 2021
On Tuesday, February 16, Governor Tony Evers gave his second biennial budget address and released his 2021-23 executive budget. All told, the governor proposes an operating budget of $45.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2021-22 and $45.6 billion in FY 2022-23. The proposed state budget adds 308.74 FTE positions by FY 2022-23 compared to FY 2020-21. The […]