Friday Update October 1, 2004

Wisconsin Awarded $5.5 Million Federal Grant for Long Term Care Reform
Governor Jim Doyle announced Wednesday that Wisconsin has been awarded a $5.5 million federal grant to help redesign the Wisconsin’s long-term care system.  Wisconsin is one of only two states to win this award grant.  The grant is a three-year award, and is part of the federal New Freedom Initiative. The funds will be used in the state’s Comprehensive System Reform effort, which includes:

- Developing and implementing a comprehensive plan for statewide expansion of long term care reform that assures expanded access, better quality, and more choice to consumers.

- Engaging consumers in the effort to rebalance the system by providing timely information to Wisconsin citizens so they can make informed decisions about long term care service options.

-Managing where, when, and how people access the long term care system to achieve a better balance between institutional and community-based care.

- Expanding the availability of service options, especially consumer-directed supports, and achieving more cost-effective use of the resources already invested in the system.

- Improving the quality and consistency of long term care services.
 
Governor Doyle said that a major outcome of the grant will include a "virtual resource center" that provides comprehensive information on aging and disability topics, including long term care, and a comprehensive strategic plan to achieve reform statewide in six to ten years.



Legislative Leadership Announce “100-Day Jobs Agenda”
On September 27th, Wisconsin’s new Senate Majority Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) announced last Monday the Legislature’s “100 Day Agenda”, which would begin in January 2005.  The 100 Day Agenda includes:

1. Freeze property taxes: impose a property tax levy freeze for 3 years. Levies would be allowed to increase to reflect economic growth, and the freeze could be exceeded or lifted by local referendum.
2. Tax free health savings accounts: make these HSAs exempt from state taxation.
3. Eliminate the tax in health insurance premiums
4. Regulatory Reform - Job Creation Act Part 2.
5. Research and Development Tax Credit "2020 credit": Super R&D Tax Credit, giving a tax credit for expenditures that exceed 150percent of the prior years expenditures. The “2020 credit” will promote more investment capital that will deliver better, higher paying jobs.
6. Expand the health care co-op program: Create a health care insurance cooperative pilot program.
7. Expand workforce training and retraining programs at tech colleges
8. Rural Finance Authority: This RFA would be modeled on a similar program currently operating across the border in Minnesota.
9. Uniform Training Standards: require the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) to develop a uniform, state-approved, curriculum and admission standard for each of its health occupation training programs. Currently, each school maintains its own curriculum and standards. This situation creates barriers to admission and transfer of students desiring training in these critically-needed health care occupations and slows these individuals’ entry as workers in the health care system.


IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

RSA
November 5, 2004 at 10:00 AM Board Meeting (American Club in Kohler)

Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care
October 8, 2004
November 12, 2004
December 10, 2004

Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care
Residential Options Task Force
October 15, 2004
November 19, 2004
December TBA, 2004

Medicaid\Healthcare Candidate Forums
Candidates will discuss their positions on Wisconsin’s most pressing health-related issues: Tobacco Control; Funding Medicaid; and, Healthcare for our seniors and citizens with disabilities.
  
October 4: Fennimore
SW Wisconsin Technical Center, 1800 Bronson Blvd., 9:30 AM – 12:00 NOON

October 12: Kenosha
UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd., 5:30 PM-7:00 PM

October 27: Eau Claire
Chippewa Valley Technical College Gateway Campus, 620 W. Clairemont Ave., 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

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


LONG-TERM CARE IN THE NEWS

Study: Mental Health Problems Plague ALF Residents
INDIANAPOLIS, IN Groundbreaking new research has discovered that residents of assisted living facilities suffer from mental health problems at a surprisingly high rate.   A study that appears in the October issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reports that two-thirds of ALF residents studied exhibited symptoms of mental health problems, with half suffering from dementia and a quarter showing signs of depression. More than half of those studied took psychotropic medications including anti-psychotics, antidepressants or sedatives.   "Now that we know that a significant proportion of assisted living residents have mental health problems, we need to work with assisted living residents, administrators, health care providers, policy makers and advocates to ensure that these facilities can accommodate their residents without over-medicating," said co-author Dr. Malaz Boustani, assistant professor of medicine at Indiana University and a research scientist with the school's Regenstrief Institute.
<http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52451.x/abs/>

GMToday (October 1, 2004)
Nursing home negligence alleged
Incidents happened under previous ownership, official says
WAUKESHA - A lawsuit against a Waukesha nursing home alleges its workers neglected a resident to the point he developed pressure ulcers, was left in his own waste and needed surgery to remove part of an infected bone.  The suit, filed Wednesday, alleges Edward Raspor entered The Waters of Westmoreland nursing home March 22, 2002, without pressure ulcers, did not have any June 20, 2002, during a health check but was found July 27, 2002, with several of them on his buttocks, tailbone and heel.
<http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2004/October_04/10012004_03.asp>

Ironwood Daily Golbe (October 1, 2004)
Mental health facility a priority
Published Friday, October 1, 2004 11:58:26 AM Central Time
HURLEY -- Efforts to build a county-based residential facility for developmentally disabled and mentally ill people continue on the front burner in Iron County.  The county board of supervisors learned Thursday about $345,000 in funding will be needed for such a facility.
<http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/1001ifac.htm>

GMToday (September 30, 2004)
Doyle announces $5.5 million grant for long-term care system
Wisconsin has won a $5.5 million federal grant to help redesign its long-term care system. Gov. Jim Doyle said the grant would go along way toward helping the state find effective ways to help people in need of such care.  He said Wisconsin is one of only two states to win such an award.
<http://www.gmtoday.com/news/politics/state/topstory189.asp>

Pioneer Press (September 30, 2004)
Ranks of aging boomers swell
Impending retirements likely to stress workplaces, social services
Wisconsin is getting grayer.  The number of state residents between the ages of 55 and 64 grew more than six times faster than the rest of the population from 2000 to 2003, according to U.S. Census data released Thursday.  That means tens of thousands of baby boomers are poised to retire in the next decade, putting a host of new stresses on the workplace and social services.
<http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/9794602.htm>

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (September 30, 2004)
Filling the boomer gap won't be easy
Replacing retirees will become more difficult
Wisconsin is getting grayer.  The number of state residents between the ages of 55 and 64 grew more than six times faster than the rest of the population from 2000 to 2003, according to U.S. Census data.  That means tens of thousands of baby boomers are poised to retire in the next decade, putting a host of new stresses on the workplace and social services.
<http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/sep04/262829.asp>

Green Bay Press Gazette (September 29, 2004)
Brown County Mental Health Center could get an OK
$12.8M suggested renovation will be acted on by board
A special meeting of the Brown County Board will be held at 7 p.m. today in Room 203 of Green Bay City Hall, 100 N. Jefferson St., Green Bay, to act on a resolution supporting renovation of the Brown County Mental Health Center.
<http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_17938294.shtml>

Capital Times (September 28, 2004)
Health care tops GOP list: State leaders plan new proposals
Republican leaders of the state Legislature plan to focus much of their efforts on health care during the first 100 days of the legislative session that begins in January.  € Eliminate state taxation on the money individuals pay in health insurance premiums, which would cost an estimated $20 million in taxes received by the state, according to Fitzgerald.  € Make health savings accounts exempt from state taxes. HSAs, which are set aside by individuals to cover health care costs, are already tax deductible at the federal level.
<http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/local//index.php?ntid=11020&nt_adsect=edit>

Reedsburg Times Press (September 28, 2004)
Council lowers impact fee: Change allowed for senior care project.
Monday's Common Council meeting started on a lighter note with the presentation of the Historic Preservation Awards before several other significant matters were acted on. Matt Scott addressed the council about the ordinance, which has park impact fees listed as $800 for the first assisted living unit and $600 for each additional unit. Scott said when they reviewed the ordinance they weren't looking for a free ride but rather a more reasonable amount. This resulted in a decision at the Parks and Recreation meeting to reduce the price of additional units to $300.
<http://reedsburg.scwn.com/articles/2004/09/28/news/news01.txt>

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (September 25, 2004)
Air Conditioners, Heat Pumps, Recalled Due To Possible Fire Danger
The Goodman Co. is recalling about 875,000 package terminal air conditioner/heat pumps (PTAC) due to possible fire hazards.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission says there have been 29 reports of units overheating, including eight reports where the PTAC ignited, and in some cases, caused property damage.
<http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/money/3773134/detail.html>