From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, announced legislation that would establish protections to prevent women from being targeted for unsuccessful pregnancies, including miscarriages.
Current law prohibits women from being fined, imprisoned or prosecuted for obtaining an abortion or for violating provisions of state law related to abortion with respect to an unborn child or fetus.
Roys’ bill would add protections for specific pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion and any other outcome that does not result in a live birth.
“Wisconsin should be a welcoming place where everyone can thrive and get the healthcare they need without political interference or being investigated by law enforcement,” Roys said in a statement. “The Pregnancy Loss Protection Act ensures this is a reality and protects Wisconsinites, ensuring they receive the dignity to heal from pregnancy loss without fear of retribution or prosecution.”
Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, in a post on X criticized Roys for opposing a GOP proposal he said would have made hers unnecessary.
Last month, the state Senate approved along party lines a GOP bill that would exempt medical procedures, such as removing a dead embryo or fetus or treating an ectopic pregnancy, from the definition of abortion in Wisconsin.
Co-authors argued the bill would help clear up ambiguity in state law so that women wouldn’t face barriers to life-saving treatment.
Roys argued Republicans were seeking to change the definition of abortion to shield them from the fallout of stories detailing women being denied care for a miscarriage, for example, due to a state’s abortion restrictions.
— Legislation from GOP authors would require insurers to submit claims data to the Wisconsin Health Information Organization.
Sen. Mary Felzkowski of Tomahawk, as well as Reps. Dave Maxey of New Berlin and Bob Donovan of Greenfield, this week began circulating a co-sponsorship memo for two bills establishing policy and funding for the proposal.
The WHIO collects health care claims information from insurers, which is then used by employers, other insurers, health care providers and others. It’s operated as a public-private partnership, managing the state’s all-payer claims database since 2008, according to the memo.
Employers can use this APCD information about claims data to “identify high-cost areas, measure quality metrics, and negotiate better prices” for health plans, authors say.
Bill authors note many insurers already provide claims data to the WHIO. The legislation would create a new requirement for them to do so, while also requiring the WHIO to make the data available in an online dashboard and in a machine-readable format.
“These bills strengthen Wisconsin’s healthcare data infrastructure so Wisconsin’s employers and policymakers have access to consistent, comprehensive, and actionable information to tackle our state’s high cost of healthcare,” they wrote.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Dec. 12.
See the bills for policy and funding.
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