Health Care
Wisconsin could see major changes if Congress passes ‘Build Back Better’
In Washington, D.C., two intertwined pieces of legislation are ensnared in bickering among House and Senate Democrats while Republicans mostly look the other way. But this week, a pair of conversations 850 miles west of the nation’s capital brought the potential impact of those bills home to Wisconsin — a brief slice of real life […]
Health officials underscore need for masks, other measures as COVID-19 surges
The latest COVID-19 surge hasn’t peaked, and increased vaccination, masks, physical distancing and avoiding crowds remain essential if Wisconsin is to reduce the spread sooner rather than later, health officials said Wednesday. The burgeoning caseload and the strain that comes with it “are all due to the highly contagious delta variant [of the coronavirus] that […]
Madison alders pass unanimous resolution backing UW Health nurses’ union
A Madison Common Council resolution calling for a “fair and fast union election” by the end of 2021 for nurses at UW Health garnered unanimous approval from the body this week. The vote, conducted by acclamation Tuesday night, followed testimony from several nurses who support unionization at UW Hospital and Clinics. The resolution was introduced […]
Some BadgerCare participants might need new insurance when health emergency ends
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues — and with it a federal health emergency — Wisconsin’s 1.5 million Medicaid recipients have guaranteed coverage. When the emergency expires, they and the people who run the program will confront a new challenge: making sure everyone stays covered. After the federal public health emergency was declared in early 2020, […]
‘The virus is not tired of us’ — COVID-19 surge continues in Wisconsin
New cases of COVID-19 took another jump over the weekend, according to data posted Monday by the state Department of Health Services (DHS), and public health officials acknowledged that the latest numbers might be undercounting cases. The lag in reporting some data is due to “a system performance issue” DHS states in a message posted […]
Jim Crow tactics reborn in Texas abortion law
The new Texas law that bans most abortions uses a method employed by Texas and other states to enforce racist Jim Crow laws in the 19th and 20th centuries that aimed to disenfranchise African Americans. Rather than giving state officials, such as the police, the power to enforce the law, the Texas law instead allows […]
Wisconsin AG Kaul fights Texas on abortion ban
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is one of 24 attorneys general filing an amicus brief Wednesday supporting the U.S. Department of Justice’s challenge of Texas’ extreme new abortion ban that starts at six weeks of pregnancy. The group of AGs seeks a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction of the law, which deputizes citizen […]
Putting on pandemic pounds: State obesity rates hit all-time highs
WASHINGTON — The number of states with high obesity among residents has nearly doubled since 2018, according to new data Wednesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 16 states that had obesity rates among adult residents of at least 35% last year, with Iowa, Ohio, Delaware and Texas on that list for […]
Data show children are an increasing share of COVID-19 patients
In keeping with other parts of the country, COVID-19 is affecting a growing number of younger children in Wisconsin. “The proportion of total cases in Milwaukee County that are comprised of kids under the age of 18 has been increasing,” said Darren Rausch, the health director for the Milwaukee suburb of Greenfield, at a Milwaukee […]
Wisconsin Republicans push forward on anti-abortion bill
Shortly after Texas implemented the most extreme anti-abortion bill in the nation, Wisconsin legislative Republicans are moving forward on an extreme bill of their own, which authors Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) and Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) named the “born alive” bill. The measure was introduced last session as well and passed the Legislature […]
Deaths increase, hospitals fill up as new COVID-19 surge continues across Wisconsin
A week into September and a new school year, the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin is continuing to dig in. Every indicator of the spread of the coronavirus, still driven by the more virulent delta variant, is up, according to state and local public health agencies, continuing a new surge of infections that began in July […]
Wisconsin alcohol consumption jumps during pandemic
Wisconsin, one of the heaviest drinking states in the country, consumed even more alcohol than normal during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released this week. State tax revenues on beer, wine, cider and liquor jumped by nearly 17% during the 2021 fiscal year, which ended June 30, according to a report from the […]