From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— The state Department of Corrections says it violated HIPAA by releasing protected health information earlier this year.
In a release Friday, the agency announced it learned Sept. 16 that it had “impermissibly released” the health information of 1,723 inmates following a public records request. That includes the names of those evaluated by the agency’s Bureau of Health Services under a Chapter 980 Special Purpose Evaluation, along with their mental health diagnoses and diagnostic test results.
The information was sent to a state agency office in Kenosha on July 17, and DOC says it ensured the recipient agency permanently deleted it after discovering the data breach. It’s being reported under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, with notices being sent to those affected as well as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, the agency says staff have put safeguards in place to ensure all records being provided for public records requests are “thoroughly reviewed” for sensitive information beforehand.
See the release below.
— UW Health has begun construction on a new building as part of an expansion of its existing Digestive Health Center in Madison.
The health system today announced the start of building the University Row Medical Center, which will house clinics currently located in a nearby older facility. Construction is slated to wrap up by the end of 2027, with patient appointments starting in 2028.
Katrina Lambrecht, chief administrative officer for UW Health, says the new center will “help us maintain continuity of care while we plan for the future of specialty services in a new central hub.”
See more project details in the release below.
— Premature mortality in Wisconsin has risen over the decade ending in 2022, with Black residents seeing a much greater increase, a recent study found.
The research, published recently in the JAMA Health Forum, found Wisconsin had 274 “premature” deaths per 100,000 adults aged 18-64 in 2022. That’s up from 207 per 100,000 in 2012, rising by about 32% over the decade.
Meanwhile, premature mortality at the national level rose to 309 deaths per 100,000 adults from 243 per 100,000 over the study period, for an increase of about 27%.
Across all states, researchers found racial disparities in premature mortality “widened substantially,” with Black Americans seeing higher and worsening mortality rates compared to white Americans.
In Wisconsin, Black residents saw a much greater increase in premature mortality over the study period. While white residents saw an increase from just over 200 to around 250 premature deaths per 100,000 adults, Black residents rose from the high 300s to at least 650 per 100,000 adults, according to a chart published by the researchers.
“These results raise concerns about structural inequities within the Medicare entitlement and financing system,” authors said of the national trend. “Despite contributing to Medicare throughout their working lives, Black individuals in the US are less likely to live long enough to reach the qualifying age for coverage.”
See the study.
— Republican lawmakers are circulating a bill to create an income tax credit that would help offset the costs of in vitro fertilization in Wisconsin.
Sen. Howard Marklein of Spring Green and Rep. Jessie Rodriguez of Oak Creek last week sent the co-sponsorship memo to other lawmakers, seeking support for establishing an IVF tax credit.
They note more women are using IVF to become pregnant, pointing to data showing the number of babies born from this method in the United States rose to 95,850 in 2023. That makes up 2.6% of all U.S. births for that year, according to the memo. At the same time, the number of IVF cycles is on the rise, going from about 390,000 in 2022 to more than 430,000 in 2023.
But bill authors note IVF isn’t cheap, with a single cycle typically ranging from $15,000 to $20,000, and rising to $30,000 in some cases. Plus, about two and a half cycles are needed to become pregnant on average, the memo shows.
“This bill will hopefully make it easier for more families to be able to bring precious little lives into this world and build strong families here in Wisconsin,” authors wrote.
It would establish a nonrefundable income tax credit for unreimbursed costs paid for consultations, procedures and prescribed drugs that are “directly related” to IVF, capped at $5,000 for a given tax year.
The tax credit would only be available for individuals with $100,000 or less in adjusted gross income or $200,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return. Authors say this income limit will ensure the credit helps those most in need of support.
The credit couldn’t be claimed for costs paid through a health savings account, medical savings account, or similar program, the Legislative Reference Bureau notes in its overview on the bill. It also wouldn’t cover insurance coverage, travel mileage or lodging, LRB wrote.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday.
See the bill text.
— Legislation from Dem authors would repeal an earlier legislative change that restricted health officials’ ability to shut down businesses during a disease outbreak.
Reps. Mike Bare of Verona, Randy Udell of Fitchburg and Maureen McCarville of DeForest, as well as Sen. Dianne Hesselbein of Middleton, on Friday sent a co-sponsorship memo to other lawmakers seeking support for the bill.
It would end restrictions established through 2023 Wisconsin Act 12 that prevent local health officers from closing businesses in order to control a disease outbreak or epidemic for more than 30 days with the option for an extension. That’s according to an overview from the Legislative Reference Bureau.
The bill authors said getting rid of these restrictions would “allow our local officers to continue doing their vital jobs” protecting the public.
“Following the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how important it is to give health experts the trust and autonomy they need to protect us,” they wrote in the memo.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Nov. 21.
See the bill text.
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Press Releases
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