December 2013 - Page 2 of 4 - Wisconsin Health News

State Health Officials Encourage Flu Shots Now to Protect Family and Friends at the Holidays

Dec 18, 2013 | Press Releases |

MADISON—With the holidays around the corner, and winter break about to start for schoolchildren and college students, state health officials today encouraged Wisconsin residents to give the gift of influenza protection by getting a flu shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone aged six months and older should be vaccinated.

Report: Demand for nurse practitioners and physician assistants on the rise

Dec 18, 2013 | Top Stories, WHN Stories |

A predicted shortage of primary care physicians is being partly addressed by incorporating more nurse practitioners and physician assistants into hospitals and clinics, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association's annual workforce report, released Wednesday. (WHN, 12/18)

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DHS recommends expansion of Family Care

Dec 17, 2013 | Top Stories, WHN Stories |

Expanding Family Care to the remainder of the state will reduce spending on long term care by $34.7 million in state and federal funds over the next 10 years, the Department of Health Services said in a report issued this week to the Joint Committee on Finance. (WHN, 12/17)

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Iowa finds cheaper way to expand insurance coverage than Wisconsin did

Dec 16, 2013 | Top Stories |

Iowa has come up with a plan for expanding insurance coverage for poor people that is similar to the one adopted by Gov. Scott Walker but at a fraction of the cost to state taxpayers. On Thursday, the federal government approved a proposal by Iowa that expands its Medicaid program while giving commercial health plans a larger role in expanding coverage through the Affordable Care Act. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/16)

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Pound by pound, Wisconsin's health slips backward as obesity rises

Dec 13, 2013 | Top Stories |

Wisconsin experienced the greatest decline of any state in the 2013 America's Health Rankings released Wednesday, taking steps backward in several categories, including a 7.2% increase in the proportion of adults who are obese. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/13)

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Reports: Room for improvement in state's health

Dec 12, 2013 | Top Stories, WHN Stories |

While Wisconsin's overall health is still better than most states, it's not improving as fast as some, according to a pair of studies released Wednesday. The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute gave the state a B- for overall health, the same grade as its last report card three years ago. The state received a barely passing grade of D for health disparities. Meanwhile, the United Health Foundation ranked Wisconsin 20th in its annual "America's Health Rankings", the state's lowest ranking in the more than two decades the report's been published. Wisconsin fell seven spots from last year, the largest decline in the nation. (WHN, 12/12)

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2013.12.16 – Rural medical education

Dec 12, 2013 | Uncategorized |

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Health Reform Briefing – Dec. 10, 2013

Dec 12, 2013 | Uncategorized |

Watch the video on Wisconsin Eye

Common Ground health plan enrollment surges to 2,200

Dec 12, 2013 | Top Stories |

Rich Kirchen of the Milwaukee Business Journal reports:"Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, a creature of an Obamacare initiative for nonprofit customer-owned health plans, has enrolled more than 2,200 Wisconsinites so far - and 75 percent to 80 percent of them enrolled via the online health-insurance marketplace." (BUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/12)

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SSM Health Care of Wisconsin hospitals receive Wisconsin Forward Award of Excellence

Dec 12, 2013 | Press Releases |

For more information, contact: Kim Sveum, Media Relations Manager (608) 294-6080 SSM Health Care of Wisconsin Hospitals Receive Wisconsin Forward Award of Excellence First Organization to Receive the...