Health Care

The employer-based health insurance system we currently have is in everyone’s best interest. When it becomes too expensive for employers to provide coverage, workers are often shifted to costly government programs, increasing the financial burden on taxpayers and further threatening provider reimbursements.

Informed health care consumers create a competitive market. Wisconsin should continue down the path of providing access to transparent and easily understood medical cost and quality data to all consumers and payers, enabling informed health care decisions.

Health Savings Accounts, Direct Primary Care and other options allow health care consumers to truly utilize available health care cost and health care quality data in order to make informed choices. The state, private employers and individuals should be encouraged to utilize insurance plans that empower consumers to make decisions based on cost and quality.

The state should oppose efforts to expand Medicaid, and thereby increase the number of Wisconsinites receiving taxpayer-subsidized health insurance. Federal Medicaid dollars will decline over time, leaving state taxpayers responsible to pay for a large unfunded entitlement.

Although often well-intended, mandating specific items that health insurance plans must cover increases insurance costs and should be avoided.

Like many industries, the health care industry is facing workforce shortages that will only get worse in the coming years. If not addressed, the quality of care in our state could suffer. As Wisconsin addresses the overall worker shortage and skills gap, attention needs to be given to health care fields to ensure a continuing pipeline of talent.

Allow health care providers to practice at the top of their scope, giving cost effective options for consumers. Highly trained providers, like advanced practice nurses and physician assistants, face statutory barriers that do not allow them to practice to the top of their training. Removing unnecessary barriers will allow these providers to do more work across the state, especially in rural areas where we face physician shortages.

COVID has taught us that telemedicine is a very successful way to provide health care to patients across the state. The state should continue to encourage the use of telemedicine, but should leave the price point of telemedicine to the marketplace.