Author: Tim Stumm

Shamane Mills of Wisconsin Public Radio reports: "A study from the Health Policy Institute shows dental care in the emergency room is growing faster than overall ER visits, making it hard to contain health costs as emergency rooms across the U.S. are seeing more patients with painful tooth problems." (WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO, 3/24)

Bill Martens of Wisconsin Public Radio reports: "The co-chair of the state's Joint Finance Committee said Monday that if lawmakers don't get satisfactory answers to questions about Gov. Scott Walker's plans for long-term care programs, approval is unlikely." (WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO, 3/24)

Seth Jovaag of the Isthmus reports: "Dental care is hard to come by for the uninsured or low-income patients covered by BadgerCare Plus, the state's largest Medicaid program. Some fear it's about to become even harder to find with the closing this summer of the Max W. Pohle Dental Clinic, in Meriter Hospital, 202 S. Park St., which has served low-income residents for almost 40 years." (ISTHMUS, 3/19)

Some advocates for the disabled and elderly have long pushed Dane County to adopt Family Care, saying more people would get home care, transportation, job assistance and other supportive services through the state Medicaid program. But now that Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget requires Dane County and seven other counties to join Family Care, the advocates are backing off their plea. (STATE JOURNAL, 3/23)