 |
December 2018
Inside the Capitol helps you stay up-to-date on key legislation and gain insight into issues that are important to you and your patients and affect Family Medicine in Wisconsin. This electronic newsletter is free to all WAFP members by subscription only. If you are currently not receiving this publication monthly and would like to be added to the distribution, please subscribe and it will be sent to your email box every month.
|
|
|
2019 Legislative Priority Survey
In our annual membership surveys, respondents routinely indicate advocacy as an important aspect of their WAFP membership. As the largest physician specialty organization in the state of Wisconsin, WAFP strives daily to advocate for the practice of family medicine and strong access to healthcare for Wisconsin patients.
In an effort to seek member input and assistance in prioritizing a legislative agenda, WAFP leadership in conjunction with the WAFP government affairs team developed a legislative survey. Between November 14 and December 7, WAFP leaders circulated the survey amongst all members asking for input and opinion on a range of legislative issues facing family doctors. The survey consisted of a total of ten questions. The questions were broken into three categories: Practice Issues, Access to Healthcare, and Physicians Training. Each question asked whether the topic was very important, somewhat important, or not important to the survey responder. Additionally, there was an opportunity to identify additional items important to members.
During its circulation, 211 members responded to the survey. The results showed members are overwhelmingly supportive of the issues WAFP has already identified as important while also pointing out additional issues members would like to see WAFP support. View the results.
It’s clear the results show support for WAFP’s current priorities. Each issue was overwhelmingly important to survey responders, to some level. It seems issues relating to Physician Training and expansion of the Child Psychiatry Consultation Program are high priorities for WAFP members. Our government affairs team will use this direction and data in speaking with state policymakers.
However, members also identified other issues that deserve consideration and attention. While we are still in the process of studying responses, a few issues standout. First, members are highly supportive of Medicaid expansion, an issue which Governor-elect Tony Evers has indicated he may pursue. Second, members are seeking opportunities to address physician wellness. This is an important issue that certainly merits further investigation and study of initiatives other states have undertaken to address the issue. Third, members overwhelmingly support expanded health care coverage in general. This is an issue the Evers administration will look to address. WAFP will be sure to be a part of that conversation.
Thank you to all who responded. Your input not only validated our current list of priorities, but also expanded our focus to ensure we comprehensively address issues important to our members. We truly appreciate your time and input.
|
|
|
|
|
WAFP Achieves 95% Success Rate in Political Contributions
The Wisconsin Academy of Family had a highly successful campaign contribution strategy for the 2018 election cycle. Over 95% of the total funds contributed to candidates for state office was allocated to candidates who won their elections on November 6. In total, WAFP contributed to thirteen Democratic and fourteen Republican candidates for the state legislature. All but one candidate successfully won their races.
The strategy employed by WAFP leadership, the Wisconsin Family Medicine PAC Board, and WAFP’s government affairs team focused on identifying individuals with a record of standing with family physicians and Wisconsin’s greater physician community on a variety of issues. This strategy ensured we supported candidates who supported us and recognized the need to strengthen relationships with some of the legislature’s most important decision makers.
A political giving strategy is only successful if there are funds to give, which is why we’d like to thank the following family physicians who generously contributed to the Wisconsin Family Medicine PAC and the Legislative Involvement Fund during the 2018 campaign cycle:
| Zach Baeseman, MD |
Suzanne Gehl, MD |
Keren Rosner, MD |
| Steve Bartz, MD |
Sue Ann Goedderz |
Robert Sander, MD |
| John Beasley, MD |
Tim Hoven |
Ken Schellhase, MD |
| Joanna Bisgrove, MD |
Karin Kultgen, MD |
Wendy Schroeder, DO |
| Cal Bruce, MD |
Rebecca Lundh, MD |
Alan Schwartzstein, MD |
| Byron Crouse, MD |
Elizabeth Menzel, MD |
Robert Sedlacek, MD |
| David Deci, MD |
Cheri Olson, MD |
Sabina Singh, MD |
| Jacquelyn F. Dinusson, MD |
David Olson, MD |
Hilary Scully, MD |
| Lisa Dodson, MD |
Jacob Prunuske, MD |
Eric Stader, MD |
| Richard Gauthier, MD |
Elizabeth Pyne, MD |
Blaise Vitale, MD |
| Andrea Gavin, MD |
Leon Radant, MD |
|
In total, WAFP raised $7,125.00 for the WIFamMedPAC and $3,950.00 for the Legislative Involvement Fund. These generous contributions allowed us to be successful, but we did fall short of our fundraising goals.
As we look towards the next election cycle, let’s raise at least $8,000 for the WIFamMedPAC and $5,000 for the Legislative Involvement Fund and make sure Family Medicine has a strong voice in the 2020 election. Please visit the WIFamMedPAC or Legislative Involvement Fund to make a donation online.
|
|
 Legislature Passes Lame-Duck Extraordinary Session Bills
Prior to the November 6 midterm elections, Wisconsin state legislative leaders announced their intentions to convene an extraordinary session after the election to consider an economic incentive package for papermaker Kimberly Clark. In the wake of Governor-elect Tony Evers’ victory over incumbent Governor Scott Walker, rumors began to swirl that the legislature may look to shore up some other issues in addition to an economic incentive package while there was still a Republican governor was still in office. Those rumors eventually evolved into plans for the legislature to amend various rulemaking processes and legislative powers that would allow the legislature to gain some new powers and oversight over the incoming Democratic administration. In the words of some Republican legislators, the initiatives “evened the playing field” of power between the legislative branch and the executive branch. The exact plans of the extraordinary session were made public when bill drafts were released on November 30. On December 3, the bills passed the Joint Committee on Finance, and by December 5 the bills passed both houses of the legislature. While the legislation accomplished several intricate rule and lawmaking process changes, they also made some changes to elections, voting, and powers of the Attorney General’s office. Following are some highlights summarized by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: - Give Republicans more control of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., including over its enterprise zone program that gives tax breaks to individual businesses.
- In some cases, puts lawmakers in charge of litigation, allowing them to keep alive a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare.
- Eliminate the solicitor general's office, which oversees high-profile litigation.
- Modestly lower the state’s income tax rates next year to offset about $60 million in online sales taxes from out-of-state retailers that Wisconsin recently began collecting.
- Bar judges from giving deference to state agencies’ interpretations of laws when they are challenged in court. That could make it easier to win lawsuits challenging how environmental regulations and other laws are being enforced.
- Require the administration to report if the governor pardons anyone or his aides release anyone from prison early.
- Force the Governor to get permission from the Legislature before asking the federal government to make any changes to programs that are run jointly by the state and federal governments. That would limit the governor's flexibility in how he runs public benefits programs. If the Legislature’s budget committee determined the administration was not implementing recent changes to those programs, it could reduce funding and staffing for state agencies.
On Friday, December 14, Governor Scott Walker signed the legislation in total without utilizing his line-item veto powers.
|
| |
|
About this Newsletter
Inside the Capitol is a monthly electronic newsletter for Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP) members who are interested in legislative issues. Please contact the WAFP office if you have comments or suggestions.
|
Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians
210 Green Bay Road Thiensville, WI 53092
Phone: 262.512.0606 Email: academy@wafp.org
www.wafp.org
To ensure delivery of Inside the Capitol, please add academy@wafp.org to your email address book or Safe Sender List. If you are still having problems receiving our communications, see our white-listing page for more details.
Copyright © 2018 Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
