Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm issued an emergency order on Monday to ensure no Medicaid member loses eligibility for coverage during the COVID-19 emergency.
The requirement is necessary to receive enhanced federal funding, according to a DHS statement. The order also allows nurses to bill Medicaid for overtime, suspends prior authorization requirements for some drugs and allows for telehealth in mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs.
Meanwhile, Evers’ safer-at-home order now faces a second legal challenge.
Jeré Fabick of Waukesha County and Larry Chapman of Walworth County argue that the plan infringes on their constitutional rights. They asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up the challenge.
Lawyers for the two wrote Monday that no one doubts the seriousness of COVID-19, but the actions that the administration has taken to fight the risks, “have gone too far, needlessly infringing our most basic constitutional liberties.”
The court on Tuesday is set to hear arguments in a suit against the order brought by the Republican-led Legislature, who say they should have been consulted on the plan. Evers’ administration argues they have the authority to pursue the order on their own.
Evers and legislative leaders met Monday afternoon to discuss the state’s response to COVID-19. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, called it a “good initial discussion,” in which Republicans discussed a possible regional approach to reopening the state.
Evers announced a plan Monday to make Wisconsin one of the top states for COVID-19 testing per capita.
“We want every Wisconsin resident who needs a test to get a test,” Palm told reporters.
As of Monday, the state has already provided more than 60,000 tests to hospitals, clinics, local public health departments, long-term care facilities and others.
Fifty-seven of the state’s counties have requested and are getting supplies.
Other key components of the plan, according to a statement from the governor’s office, are:
- Providing free testing and diagnostics to Wisconsin’s 373 nursing homes to test all nursing home residents and staff. The goal is to test more than 10,000 residents and staff per week in May.
- Working with the Wisconsin National Guard and local health groups to test all workers and families linked to outbreaks.
- Increasing the number of free drive-thru community testing sites throughout the state.
- Mobilizing 15 more National Guard units to help local health departments set up testing sites and respond to outbreaks. That would bring the total number of National Guard units working on testing to 25.
- Providing free tests for state-sponsored test sites for those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. No doctors’ visits will be required at sites sponsored by the National Guard.
- Providing test supplies to all Wisconsin healthcare systems. As of Monday, the state has provided 41,255 tests to healthcare systems.
There were 8,236 confirmed cases Monday, an increase of 272 from Sunday. The statewide death toll now stands at 340, an increase of one.
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