May 17, 2004

Wisconsin News…

Supreme Court Rules Gaming Compacts Illegal – State Budget Could be Short $207 Million
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled last week that Democrat Governor Jim Doyle exceeded his authority and negotiated unconstitutional Indian Gaming Compacts.   Legislative Republicans initiated the lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the 2003 Indian Gaming Compacts.  Republican leaders believe that the State of Wisconsin should be receiving larger payments from the Indian Tribes than what was negotiated by the Governor last year.

Since the Supreme Court has ruled the Gaming Compacts illegal, the $207 million Wisconsin’s Indian Tribes were scheduled to pay in FY 2004-2005 to the State of Wisconsin is now in jeopardy of being delayed.   This means the state could face a $207 budget deficit in addition to the $277 million deficit facing Medicaid in this current biennium, which ends on June 30, 2005.

A federal appeal of the State Supreme Court’s decision is expected.


Milwaukee County Family Care Program Faces $2 Million Deficit and $3 Million Payback to State
The County run long-term managed care program, Family Care was reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to be facing a County deficit of approximately $2 million.  On Thursday, additional financial problems were reported, that Milwaukee County’s Family Care program might have to repay $3.3 million in state and federal funds.  It is not expected the County will be forced to repay the $3.3 million in the right away, however since the program is run by Milwaukee County – it is the responsibility of the County to cover both the $2 million deficit and the $3.3 million overpayment.  Milwaukee County is one of 5 Family Care demonstration pilots being conducted in Wisconsin.

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, having both stories break within a day of each other, the Milwaukee County Board will be looking into how this situation could have occurred and why board members were not notified earlier.  At the state level, already questions are arising of how two independent audits conducted by DHFS and the other by the Legislative Audit Bureau of Family Care did not catch these problems, nor identify these problems in their report to the legislature.

Family Care is credited for eliminating the waiting lists for home and community-based services (COP, CIP, Community Aids, etc.).  The Association will be closely monitoring this issue and will endeavor to keep members up-to-date of new developments.

For more information visit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/may04/229009.asp


Senate and Assembly Meet Wednesday, May 19 in Extraordinary Session
The Senate and Assembly are scheduled to hold an extraordinary legislative session to pass a bill that would authorize the use of State Community Aids funding to obtain $56 million in federal Medicaid dollars; and a bring back a proposal that was vetoed last year that would freeze local property taxes.  In addition, the Assembly Republicans will hold a caucus meeting on Tuesday, May 18th to discuss TABOR – Taxpayer Bill of Rights.  TABOR is a Constitutional amendment that would limit state spending to the rate of inflation plus the rate of population growth, which would include all state and local spending on health programs.  Although TABOR seemed to have stalled last week, Speaker Gard has been quoted in many Wisconsin papers that TABOR will move forward.  Speaker Gard is working on a new “TABOR-Light” Constitutional amendment proposal, which could be released to the public in the coming weeks.


Important Dates

State Minimum Wage Increase
Department of Workforce Development Public Hearings
($5.15/hr to $5.70/hr per hour after October 1, 2004 and to $6.50/hr after October 1, 2005)

Mon., May 17, 2004 - 1:00 p.m.
Rock County Job Center
1900 Center Avenue Room K
Janesville

Tues., May 18, 2004 - 1:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Job Center South/UMOS
1644 S. 9th Street
Milwaukee

Wed., May 19, 2004 - 1:00 p.m.
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Clairemont Campus
Room 103 Auditorium
620 W Clairemont Avenue
Eau Claire

Thurs., May 20, 2004 - 9:00-11:00 a.m.
UW Marathon County
Room 233 Lecture Hall
518 S. 7th Avenue
Wausau

Thurs., May 20, 2004 - 2:00 p.m.
Brown County Central Library
515 Pine Street - Meeting Rooms 1 & 2 (downstairs)
Green Bay

Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care
June 11, 2004

Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care
Residential Options Task Force
May 21, 2004

Wisconsin Legislature
May 18, 2004 at 2:00 PM  Assembly Republican Caucus on TABOR and Property Tax Freeze Proposals
May 19, 2004 at 11:00 AM  Assembly Extraordinary Session on Property Tax Freeze Bill

May 21-23, 2004  Republican Party of Wisconsin State Convention (La Crosse)
June 11-13, 2004 Democrat Party of Wisconsin State Convention (Appleton)

2004 Wisconsin Elections
September 14, 2004: Partisan Primary (state elections)
November 2, 2004: Presidential and General Elections (federal and state-wide elections)


Long-Term Care in the News…


Green Bay Press Gazette (May 17, 2004)
[Indian Gaming] Compact ruling threatens budget
Last week’s court ruling that Gov. Jim Doyle went too far with a Native American gambling compact generated all sorts of reaction early on.  One by one, state lawmakers chimed in either through press interviews or press releases on what they feel the ruling said or didn’t say.  Many also wondered just what would happen with the state’s budget, now that compacts that were to bring $206 million in payments to the state are in question.
<http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_16117228.shtml>


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 16, 2004)
GOP sticks with push for tax amendment: Vote for short-term limits may be first step
Despite a push for short-term limits on state and local taxes, Republican legislators say they remain committed to a long-term solution in the form of a constitutional amendment that could face its first vote in the Legislature this summer.  "Full speed ahead," said Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo).  Gard is developing his own version of a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which would need to be approved by the Legislature this year and during the next two-year term, which begins in January, if voters are to take it up in a statewide referendum in 2005 or 2006.
<http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/may04/229824.asp>


Milwaukee Business Journal (May 14, 2004)
Wisconsin to get share of drug company settlement
A $430 million legal settlement against Warner-Lambert, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., will allow the state of Wisconsin to recover more than $3.2 million in Medicaid restitution and penalties, state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said.  The settlement, announced Thursday, resolves alleged violations of state and federal laws by Warner-Lambert's deceptive and off-label marketing of Neurontin, an epilepsy drug.
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2004/05/10/daily53.html


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 13, 2004)
County's struggling Family Care might have to repay state $3.3 million
Milwaukee County's Family Care program for the elderly, already running a deficit approaching $2 million for last year, also faces the prospect of repaying $3.3 million in state and federal funds because client care needs were overstated.  State officials are intent upon collecting the overpayments, covering 2001-'03, but not right away and perhaps not in one lump sum. Stephanie Sue Stein, county Department on Aging director, has told County Board leaders the repayment might be challenged or negotiated.
<http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/may04/229009.asp>


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 13, 2004)
Brookfield nursing home deficiencies corrected, state says
The staff at the Woodland Health Care Center in Brookfield has corrected the deficiencies that left residents without proper pain medication and other care, a state official said Thursday.  Inspectors with the state Bureau of Quality Assurance, which monitors nursing home care, reviewed the treatment at Woodland earlier this week in a follow-up to an inspection in March and April that revealed nine federal deficiencies and four state violations.
<http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/may04/229252.asp>


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 11, 2004)
Nursing home cited for inadequate care
Owner faces violations, fines: Residents of the Woodland Health Care Center in Brookfield suffered with inadequate pain medication, a lack of prompt response to calls for help, and the care for them threatened their dignity, state inspectors found in a recent review.  The 200-bed nursing home had nine violations of federal codes, more than double the average of federal deficiencies in facilities statewide, and four violations of state codes, found during the survey in March and April.
<http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/may04/228758.asp>