As I speak with families throughout south central Wisconsin, the rising cost of health care is one of the biggest concerns I hear. Whether it's a young family trying to save money and make ends meet, a senior trying to cover the higher cost of prescription drugs or a small business trying to cope with double-digit health care premium increases, rising health care costs are another expense that is holding back our quality of life. To address this issue, the state Assembly has approved real-world health care reforms that state government can enact to make a real impact on the cost, quality and accessibility of health care in Wisconsin.
Earlier this session both Democrats and Republicans came together in a bipartisan fashion to pass the landmark BadgerCare Plus program, which makes Wisconsin a nationwide leader in health care by covering 98 percent of the population. Specifically, BadgerCare Plus ensures that all Wisconsin children have access to health insurance. Last week, the state Assembly passed three important reforms that will build upon our historic progress this session by putting health care dollars and decisions back in the hands of patients and families.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have proved to be an effective and affordable health plan for both businesses and local governments, but Wisconsin lags behind the national trend for facilitating their use. Wisconsin is one of only five states that do not provide a tax deduction for HSAs. The bipartisan AB 47, which passed the Assembly on Wednesday, brings our state in line with the existing federal tax deduction for this innovative program that nearly 5 million Americans are using to save their money, tax-free, for medical expenditures.
Another important way to keep health care costs down is increased health care transparency through full disclosure of the cost of procedures and treatments. Under current law, a patient who wants to know how much a procedure costs has no ability to ask or receive an answer. We passed Assembly Bill 872 in the Assembly requiring health care providers to present a cost estimate to any patient that requests it. Full disclosure of health care costs will enable patients and families to make better informed decisions and promote competition between health care providers, helping to drive down costs.
In addition, we passed the bipartisan eHealth Care Quality Act unanimously this week, clearing the way for doctors to have greater access to a patient's lifesaving medical history. By utilizing technology, we can increase efficiency in health care.
Each of these important reforms takes a real-world approach to improving the quality and expense of health care in Wisconsin. I am convinced that our bipartisan efforts will continue to improve health care with commonsense, practical solutions.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
Earlier this session both Democrats and Republicans came together in a bipartisan fashion to pass the landmark BadgerCare Plus program, which makes Wisconsin a nationwide leader in health care by covering 98 percent of the population. Specifically, BadgerCare Plus ensures that all Wisconsin children have access to health insurance. Last week, the state Assembly passed three important reforms that will build upon our historic progress this session by putting health care dollars and decisions back in the hands of patients and families.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have proved to be an effective and affordable health plan for both businesses and local governments, but Wisconsin lags behind the national trend for facilitating their use. Wisconsin is one of only five states that do not provide a tax deduction for HSAs. The bipartisan AB 47, which passed the Assembly on Wednesday, brings our state in line with the existing federal tax deduction for this innovative program that nearly 5 million Americans are using to save their money, tax-free, for medical expenditures.
Another important way to keep health care costs down is increased health care transparency through full disclosure of the cost of procedures and treatments. Under current law, a patient who wants to know how much a procedure costs has no ability to ask or receive an answer. We passed Assembly Bill 872 in the Assembly requiring health care providers to present a cost estimate to any patient that requests it. Full disclosure of health care costs will enable patients and families to make better informed decisions and promote competition between health care providers, helping to drive down costs.
In addition, we passed the bipartisan eHealth Care Quality Act unanimously this week, clearing the way for doctors to have greater access to a patient's lifesaving medical history. By utilizing technology, we can increase efficiency in health care.
Each of these important reforms takes a real-world approach to improving the quality and expense of health care in Wisconsin. I am convinced that our bipartisan efforts will continue to improve health care with commonsense, practical solutions.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
