From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Wisconsin faces an economic loss of $247 million from federal health research cuts and could lose more than 1,000 related jobs, according to data from the Science & Community Impacts Mapping Project.
This university research effort maps out the national, state and county-level impacts of the Trump administration’s cuts to health research funding. It comes after the administration earlier this year announced it would cap the indirect cost rate for new and current grants at 15%, a major blow to federal research funding support.
In Wisconsin, Dane and Milwaukee counties will be hit the hardest by these cuts, the map shows. Dane County, home to UW-Madison, is expected to see a $154 million loss. And Milwaukee County — where UW-Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin are located — is expected to see a $46 million loss.
Statewide, job losses linked to the research cuts are estimated at 1,068.
Meanwhile, the national impacts include a $16 billion economic loss and 68,000 lost jobs, the map shows.
See the map.
— U.S. Rep. Tony Weid is promoting federal legislation that would provide more resources to rural providers for obstetrics care.
The Republican lawmaker is co-sponsoring the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Dem U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois. It would create labor and delivery training programs for non-specialists, in hopes of better preparing rural providers for obstetric emergencies, according to Wied’s release.
In a statement on the bill, he notes a decline in dedicated labor and delivery facilities in rural hospitals.
He notes ThedaCare’s Waupaca labor and delivery center recently shut down in the 8th Congressional District he represents.
“Even before this closure, some women in our district faced travel times of over 45 minutes to safely deliver their baby,” he said. “That is why I am proud to co-sponsor this bi-partisan legislation to ensure that women across Northeast Wisconsin have access to the critical services they need.”
The bill would also provide federal grants for rural facilities to buy better equipment needed for obstetrics emergencies, and create a pilot program to connect rural doctors with maternal care experts through teleconsultation.
See the bill text and see more in the release below.
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Press Releases
– U.S. Rep. Wied: Co-sponsors bi-partisan Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act
