MADISON, Wis. (Governor Tony Evers Office Press Release) – Governor Tony Evers today approved Senate Bill (SB) 1015, now Wisconsin Act 97 of 2023, to further support health care access in western Wisconsin. Secured $15 million in crisis response resources. Regarding the recent announcement by HSHS and Prevea Health of the decision to close several facilities. In addition to severely impacting health care access in the region, the closure is estimated to impact approximately 1,400 workers and others in the surrounding area, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
Governor Evers today approved Act 97 with line-item veto improvements that will provide additional flexibility for $15 million in crisis response investments and direct funding to any hospital service that meets the region's pressing medical needs, including emergency care services. to be used to fund. obstetrics and gynecology services, inpatient psychiatric services, mental health substance use services, and more. Without the governor’s veto, these services would not have been eligible under SB 1015. Governor Evers made the announcement for the first time today in Madison while speaking with community leaders from the Chippewa Valley region at the Chippewa Valley Rally, an annual event sponsored by the Chippewa Valley. Chamber Alliance representing the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce, Menomonie Chamber of Commerce, and Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce;
“Recent hospital closures in western Wisconsin have left Wisconsinites without access to basic everyday health care services and uprooted the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of residents and their families,” Governor Evers said. Ta. “My administration and I will do everything we can to support these workers and their families, as well as those in our communities who need access to basic and emergency medical services as well. We are working to do so.
“I will use my constitutional veto to make improvements to ensure more flexibility for all hospital services to use these critical resources to meet the health care access needs of the Chippewa Valley region. However, I am proud to have secured $15 million in crisis response funding, whatever that may be,” Governor Evers continued. “In our visits to the Chippewa Valley region and conversations with community leaders, it was clear that the impact of recent closures extends far beyond hospital emergency doors. These closures have an overall impact on access to critical health care services. and we must: respond to these challenges to meet the needs of Wisconsinites and our communities.”
SB 1015, passed by the Wisconsin Legislature, included unnecessary restrictions on $15 million in emergency response funds, limiting the use of the funds to hospital emergency department services only. The Governor's partial veto significantly improves the bill, expands the scope of grants available under the bill, and allows the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to provide emergency response funds to all hospital services that meet the needs of the public. Make available. region.
Concurrent with the Governor's announcement today, Governor Evers has submitted a formal request to the Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance of the Wisconsin General Assembly for DHS to immediately waive the $15 million provided under Act 97. I was instructed to do so. A copy of the request filed by DHS in today's report to the Joint Committee on Finance can be found here. The planning request submitted by DHS reflects the Governor's improvements to today's bill.
“I urge Republicans on the Joint Committee on Finance to quickly approve the Department’s request and approve it without delay to ensure these resources are immediately available to stabilize and support health care access throughout the Chippewa Valley region. We urge them to do so,” Governor Evers concluded. . “This investment will go a long way toward addressing the very real and pressing health care access concerns facing Western Wisconsin, and it is critical that we get this funding to the people who need it.”
If the Joint Committee on Finance approves DHS's request, the Department will conduct a competitive grant application process to provide $15 million in funding to eligible hospitals and hospital services that meet the following criteria:
- Eligible hospital services are provided in the western region, with priority given to hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties.
- Grant recipients are hospitals (as entities with a DHS 124 license) that accept all payer types (commercial (consistent with existing network), Medicaid, Medicare, self-pay, uninsured), including any of the following: definition) must agree to expand its capacity (capital and operations). The following services:
- Strengthen emergency department capacity/services, including the acceptance of patients in critical condition requiring potential evaluation under Chapter 51.
- Expand emergency care services.
- Expand psychiatric inpatient units to accommodate adults and/or adolescents. The force must accept emergency detention under s. 51.15 and optional admission.
- Expand inpatient obstetrics and gynecology services.
- Expand mental health and/or substance use services.
- Expand or establish hospital-owned and operated ambulance services to transport patients to appropriate patient care facilities.
3. Service expansions starting after January 22, 2024 are eligible for the grant.
The Governor's veto message detailing his partial veto of SB 1015 (now Wisconsin Statute 97) is available here.
Evers Administration's Rapid Response to Western Wisconsin Medical Facility Closures
Although not exhaustive, more information about the Evers Administration's continued rapid response efforts to the HSHS and Prevea Health System closures is available here and discussed in more detail below.
DWD Rapid Response Initiatives
- DWD is coordinating rapid response with local workforce development boards. Rapid response support includes job search and referral assistance, unemployment insurance application assistance, interview preparation, career counseling, and navigating child care and health insurance information.
- DWD's rapid response team continues to gather critical information, meet with affected employees and employers, and identify opportunities to connect affected employees with new opportunities that provide family-supporting wages. I am.
- DWD and the local Workforce Development Board held community job fairs on February 7 and February 20 to assist affected workers and the public.
- DWD worked with local rapid response teams to hold 11 information sessions in affected communities.
- DWD continues to work with DHS and other state agencies to support continuity of health care services in the region.
- Additional services will be provided for affected employees through DWD's Mobile Career Lab and Job Center.
DHS Rapid Response Initiatives
- DHS has met with both local leaders and system-wide leaders at HSHS and Prevea Health, and the Department will continue to meet regularly with these leaders.
- DHS is facilitating a dialogue between HSHS and Prevea Health leaders and leaders of other regional health systems, including Marshfield Clinic Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System, to develop a plan for the three systems. and continues to urge greater transparency in decision-making. .
- DHS will continue to monitor EMS, trauma, and crisis response in addition to ongoing transitions and continuity of care plans, including:
- Coordinating agreements to transfer certain patients from HSHS to Mayo Clinic.and
- Necessary measures to ensure that all local obstetricians and gynecologists have privileges in all local hospitals and can continue to provide care locally, regardless of the facility in which they work. This is especially important given the existing shortage of obstetric and gynecological care in the region.
- DHS' Office of Human Resources has notified employees at the department's Northern Wisconsin Center, which primarily uses Prevea Health and HSHS, and the agency is working with them to help them find care.
- DHS is reaching out to facilities and organizations, including long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and DHS-managed facilities, to encourage them to attend upcoming job fairs in their communities.
Wisconsin Office of Insurance Commissioner (OCI) Rapid Response Initiatives
- OCI is communicating with Western Wisconsin insurance companies regarding efforts to maintain access and provide timely information to policyholders.
- OCI continues to communicate with local health insurance enrollment advocates to answer questions and support efforts to provide clarity to insured persons affected by the closure.
- OCI is in contact with the Wisconsin Employees Trust Fund (ETF) regarding state employee health plan issues and is monitoring the situation.
- OCI is in contact with the Department of Labor's Office of Employee Benefits Security to assess the situation and ensure that it is ready to support affected recipients of employer-based coverage in the area.
About the leaver program
The Dispersed Worker Program provides transition assistance to workers and businesses affected by permanent worker layoffs. Rapid response teams help companies and worker representatives develop and implement practical transition plans based on the scale of the layoff event. The types of services include:
- Pre-layoff workshops on a variety of topics including resume writing, interviewing, job search strategies, budgeting, and more.
- Providing information about programs and resources through written materials and information sessions.and
- Career and Resource Fair.
Workers affected by permanent layoffs will have access to basic reemployment services free of charge through the state's job center. Some workers may have optional access to certain services, including training assistance, after enrolling in one or more of DWD's workforce development programs. Additional information about the Rapid Response Team process can be found here.
Governor Evers also vetoed SB 1014 today. The governor's veto message for SB 1014 can be found here.
The online version of this release is available here.
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