From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Patient advocates are praising Gov. Tony Evers’ prescription drug plan that was rolled out this week, while a group of community-based insurers in Wisconsin say they’re always assessing the best way to lower costs for members.
The plan detailed in Wednesday’s State of the State address includes a wide range of measures related to prescription drugs, ranging from ending the sales tax on over-the-counter medications and establishing a $35 copay cap on insulin to creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board and drug importation program.
The guv’s office said dropping the sales tax from prescription drugs would save Wisconsinites $40 million a year.
After Evers announced that his 2025-27 Executive Budget will include these and other cost-saving measures, a spokesperson for the progressive group Protect our Care said the proposal includes “non-controversial, commonsense, good faith efforts to lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs” for Wisconsin residents.
“It is shocking that Republican lawmakers have worked against the Governor’s similar efforts to bring costs down in the past,” the spokesperson said in an email. “It is our sincere hope that narrower margins in the legislature force Republican lawmakers to the table to finally do something on healthcare costs for Wisconsin families.”
When asked for comment on Evers’ plan, Wisconsin Association of Health Plans Executive Director John Nygren said community-based insurers are “constantly evaluating the most effective methods to reduce costs and deliver value” for their members.
“We look forward to identifying opportunities to lower the high costs of prescription drugs with the goal of improving access and outcomes for Wisconsin families,” said Nygren, a Republican who previously served in the state Assembly.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Quartz Health Benefits Corporation, which offers plans in many Wisconsin counties, said the insurer is “committed to abiding by all laws and regulations” in the areas where it operates.
“We will evaluate the impact on Quartz policies or plans in the event any relevant changes are made in Wisconsin law,” Director of External Affairs Myranda Tanck said in a statement.
In a release yesterday, AARP Wisconsin State Director Martha Cranley said the interest group “whole-heartedly” agrees with Evers’ comments about health care affordability, including that paying for basic prescriptions or insulin shouldn’t “break the bank.”
“Affordable health care and Rx costs are a priority for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites,” Cranley said. “We will work with the governor and legislature to make sure this issue remains top of mind.”
See details of Evers’ plan here.
— In the latest Dem radio address, Gov. Tony Evers shares excerpts from his State of the State address highlighting his proposals to lower costs for Wisconsinites, including for prescription drugs.
Evers touts his “Less for Rx” plan to establish new state programs to set price ceilings for prescription and improve oversight of drug companies.
“No Wisconsinite should have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table and getting their life-saving medication. Accessing healthcare and picking up basic prescriptions or insulin should not break the bank, folks,” Evers says.
See coverage of this week’s State of the State address at WisPolitics.
— As flu levels are on the rise statewide, UW Health is flagging a spike in related hospitalizations in Madison.
The health system today said a third of patients tested for the flu last week were positive, and urges state residents to take precautions to help stop the spread of the virus, such as masking when symptomatic and getting vaccinated.
Dr. Dan Shirley, medical director of infection prevention at UW Health, says it’s not too late to get vaccines for the major respiratory viruses currently circulating, which also includes RSV and COVID-19. While it takes several weeks to build immunity, getting a vaccine now will provide protection as virus levels are “expected to remain high” for several weeks.
UW Health had no flu-related hospitalizations in early December, but had 40 by the week of Jan. 19, according to today’s release. The health system says that’s the highest level of flu-related hospitalizations at UW Health in the last three years, though it notes it has the capacity to handle the increase.
Meanwhile, hospitalizations for RSV and COVID-19 at UW Health are “slightly declining,” like they did at this point last year.
These trends fit the statewide picture, as flu activity in early January was high and increasing while both RSV and COVID-19 were moderate and stable, according to figures from the state Department of Health Services.
Across all respiratory virus categories, DHS reports activity was high but stable for the week ending Jan. 11. Since the end of August, the share of emergency department visits in Wisconsin where patients were diagnosed with a respiratory illness has risen from 11% to 21% at latest count, the agency’s site shows.
See UW Health’s release below.
Top Stories
– Under communications freeze, CDC updates some important health data but not others
– Johnson touts ‘new era’ of abortion opposition under Trump
– RFK Jr.’s allies have a plan to upend childhood vaccination
– COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Reducing Childhood Vaccinations
– Opponents of Kennedy’s bid for top US health post urge senators to reject him
– Emergency contraception pill could be an alternative to mifepristone for abortions, study suggests
– Trump cuts Fauci’s security detail
Press Releases
– UW Health: Flu hospitalizations high; UW Health urges vigilance with preventive measures
– DCCC: Derrick Van Orden wants to jail doctors for abortion care
– AARP Wisconsin: Pleased to hear Gov. Evers commit to affordable Rx prices
