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| Wisconsin: Legislative & Political Weekly Update
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TO: Clients & Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc. and Wimmer & Company
FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
and Wimmer & Company
DATE: January 19, 2009
SUBJECT: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
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| Minnesconsin? Governors Doyle and Pawlenty to Collaborate to Reduce Costs |
Last Tuesday, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, a
Democrat, held joint press conferences with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a
Republican, in St. Paul and Madison to announce that the two governors would
work in a bipartisan manner to consolidate the purchasing of state services in
the hopes of saving "tens of millions of dollars" over a number of years ( www.wispolitics.com).
The Governors, from neighboring states that are both facing
significant budget deficits, pledged to work collaboratively in the purchasing
of bulk services such as food for prisoners, salt for roads, computer software
and heavy equipment. Other areas were services will be shared will be through
the joint usage of vehicles and facilities. For example, the State of Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) will
use the State of Minnesota's
Department of Natural Resources' helicopter services for deer herd management
since the WDNR does not currently own helicopters.
To read the Governors' joint press release, click on the
link below:
http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=3894
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Budget Update - Hospital Assessment
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Last week, there were developments regarding the
upcoming budget.
Reports are that
Governor Doyle and legislative leaders have reached a
preliminary agreement regarding an assessment on hospitals, which will allow the state to bring in additional funding through the Medical Assistance (MA) program. (Of course, the proposed assessment has not been introduced as legislation, so a lot can happen between now and then in terms of what the final package will look like).
According the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services
(DHS), the hospital assessment would bring in approximately $300 million in
federal funding each year. The assessment would bring in roughly a $1.65
for every $1 taken from state hospitals .
The hospital assessment was a signature issue for the
Governor and legislative Democrats during last session's budget debate. In
fact, nearly every legislative Democrat made the hospital assessment, and its
additional federal funding for the state, a signature issue of their campaigns
this fall.
According to DHS, the plan would:
* Invest approximately $240 million into the Medicaid program over three years.
* Raise the hospital Medicaid rates to almost triple the average
Fee-For-Service outpatient visit rate.
* Raise inpatient rates by an average of 32% per discharge.
The federal money would also be used to fund statewide implementation of the
BadgerCare Plus Core Plan for Childless Adults (www.wispolitics.com).
To see reaction to the Hospital Assessment, click here: Department of Health Services statement: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=145706 Wisconsin Hospital Association statement: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=145713
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Assembly Democrats to Implement New Fundraising Rules
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Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) announced that
Assembly Democrats would take steps to change their chamber's rules to ban
lawmakers from fundraising during the upcoming budget cycle. The change needs
to be approved by the Assembly Committee on Organization, which is expected to
act in the next few weeks.
Sheridan
also stressed during his public appearance this week that his Caucus'
priorities this session will be job creation and health care. Sheridan, the
former UAW Local 95 President, said actions by Assembly Democrats should not
endanger job creation in the state and that he would continue to demonstrate
the ability to reach across the aisle and look for compromise with Assembly
Republicans on the major issues facing the state (www.wispolitics.com).
Sheridan
also demonstrated a cool manner toward the Healthy Wisconsin plan that was
passed by Senate Democrats last session and has been pushed again this session
by Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker.
- To see Sheridan's statement regarding the upcoming campaign finance rule change, click here: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=146042
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State of the State - January 28, 2009 - 7 p.m.
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Governor Doyle will give his 7th State of the
State Address on Wednesday, January 27, 2009, at 7 p.m. in the Assembly
Chambers of the State Capitol.
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