Sen. Howard Marklein receives WHA’s 2018 healthcare advocate award
MADISON (March 23, 2018) —- State Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) received the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) Health Care Advocate of the Year Award March 21 at WHA’s Advocacy Day event in Madison. Bob Van Meeteren, WHA Board chair and Mike Wallace, past WHA Board chair, presented this year’s award to Marklein in recognition of his partnership with WHA in supporting issues that enable the delivery of high-quality, high-value health care in Wisconsin. Van Meeteren is president/CEO of Reedsburg Area Medical Center and Wallace is president/CEO of Fort HealthCare in Fort Atkinson.
“It comes as no surprise to many of us at Fort HealthCare that Howard is standing before us today to receive this well-deserved recognition for his commitment and service to our state’s hospitals,” said Wallace.
During his tenure in the Legislature, Marklein has advanced policies that reduce unnecessary regulatory burden for hospitals, streamlined licensure processes for physicians and nurses, strengthened health care workforce investments in rural communities and increased reimbursement for Wisconsin’s hospitals serving Medicaid patients. Marklein was the lead author of the Wisconsin Health Care Data Modernization Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker in front of over 1,000 hospital advocates at WHA’s 2016 Advocacy Day.
“Throughout his time in the Legislature, Howard has championed several key laws in partnership with WHA that have helped reduce unnecessary regulatory burden for hospitals and provided additional resources to increase access for patients,” said Van Meeteren.
Marklein’s dedication to Wisconsin’s hospitals precedes his time in the Legislature, previously serving as hospital board chair at Fort HealthCare and on the UW Hospital Authority board in Madison. Marklein has also worked hard to establish relationships with the nine hospitals he serves in Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District.
“I’m aware of the contribution you all make to not only the health care of our communities, but the economies of our communities,” said Marklein after receiving the award. “Thank you for this award but thank you, more importantly, for all that you do in your communities.”
