Month: January 2013

Details on who gets OxyContin, Vicodin, fentanyl and other controlled substances are being collected in an effort to curb drug abuse, as Wisconsin joins the vast majority of states with prescription drug monitoring programs…Under a law passed in 2009, the state’s 1,200 pharmacies and other dispensers of frequently abused prescription drugs had to start gathering data on each order filled starting Jan. 1. A database to collect the information isn’t ready, however. (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 1/23)

The co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee are calling for an independent audit of the University of Wisconsin payroll and benefit processing systems after overpayments totaling almost $33 million were found. Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, and Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Randall, announced by news release on Tuesday they have directed the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau to outline the parameters for a proposed independent audit by the LAB of UW's payroll and benefit processing, including the new Human Resource System. (CAPITAL TIMES, 1/16)

The federal Affordable Care Act will reduce federal payments to Aurora Health Care by at least $13 million this year and executives at southeastern Wisconsin’s largest hospital system have decided the shortfall will require a hiring freeze and eliminating an unspecified number of jobs. Aurora president and chief executive officer Nick Turkal, in a letter to employees earlier this month obtained by The Business Journal, did not say how many jobs will be impacted or when cuts will occur. An Aurora spokeswoman said Turkal was unavailable for an interview and she declined to comment on the letter. (MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/15)