Healthcare

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 23: Relating to: establishment of a Palliative Care Council. (FE)

AB 23 establishes a 22-member Palliative Care Council within the Department of Health Services to advise on palliative care policy. The council includes physicians, nurses, patient advocates, insurers, and legislators, with specific requirements for geographic and program-type representation (e.g., community-based vs. hospital-based care). It will evaluate palliative care programs, advise on reimbursement mechanisms, and report biennially to the legislature on access and impact. The bill explicitly excludes physician-assisted suicide and similar topics from the council’s advisory scope. This bill directly affects palliative care providers, patients, insurers, and state health agencies through structured policy guidance.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Palliative Care Council to advise on policy, evaluate programs, and improve reimbursement/access for palliative care services, directly strengthening healthcare delivery.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 226: Relating to: prohibiting school boards and independent charter schools from providing food containing certain ingredients in free or reduced-price meals.

AB 226 prohibits public school districts and independent charter schools from serving free or reduced-price school meals containing five specific ingredients: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, and red dye 3. The law applies to meals under federal programs like the National School Lunch Program and takes effect July 1, 2027. It does not restrict private vendors from serving these ingredients at school events or on school premises. The bill directly affects schools serving subsidized meals to eligible students.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits harmful food additives in school meals, a public health program, to protect student health by removing potentially toxic ingredients.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 20, 2026

AB 598: Relating to: consent to admissions to certain health care facilities by patient representatives without requiring a petition for guardianship or protective placement. (FE)

AB 598 allows patient representatives to consent to health care facility admissions for incapacitated individuals without requiring a court-appointed guardian or protective placement petition. The bill creates a defined "patient representative" role, requiring two medical professionals (e.g., two physicians or one physician plus an advanced practice clinician) to certify incapacity based on medical need - not age, disability, or eccentricity. Patient representatives gain authority to make health care decisions, enroll individuals in Medical Assistance, and authorize health care expenses similar to a guardian, but only for non-developmental disability and non-mental illness cases. This change streamlines admissions for incapacitated patients while mandating 72-hour notifications to county agencies about the certification.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves court barriers for patient reps to consent to healthcare admissions, improving access for incapacitated individuals without requiring guardianship petitions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 309: Relating to: immunity for 911 call centers and dispatchers that transfer callers to the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

SB 309 grants legal immunity to 911 call centers and dispatchers who transfer callers to the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It specifically protects them from civil lawsuits related to those transfers, unless the harm resulted from gross negligence or willful misconduct by the dispatcher or center. The bill defines the "national crisis hotline" as the federally managed 988 number (or its successor). This law directly affects public safety answering points in Wisconsin by limiting their liability when connecting individuals in crisis to the 988 service.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects 911 centers transferring to 988 crisis line, enabling access to mental health services without legal risk, aligning with mental health support indicators.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 264: Relating to: coverage of breast cancer screenings by the Medical Assistance program and health insurance policies and plans. (FE)

SB 264 requires health insurance plans and the Medical Assistance program to cover specific breast cancer screenings without out-of-pocket costs for enrollees. It defines two key types of screenings: "diagnostic breast examinations" (used to evaluate symptoms or abnormalities, like mammograms) and "supplemental breast screening examinations" (for high-risk individuals without symptoms, using MRI or ultrasound). The bill prohibits cost-sharing (such as copays) for all diagnostic screenings and for the first supplemental screening per year, while allowing limited cost-sharing for additional supplemental screenings in the same year. This directly affects individuals with health insurance or Medical Assistance who require these screenings, particularly those at higher risk for breast cancer.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no-cost breast cancer screenings coverage, expanding access and removing financial barriers for patients under Medical Assistance and insurance plans.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 23: Relating to: extension of eligibility under the Medical Assistance program for postpartum women. (FE)

SB 23 extends Medicaid eligibility for postpartum women from 60 days to 365 days (one year) after pregnancy, directly affecting pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in the Medical Assistance program. The bill modifies eligibility rules to ensure coverage continues without regard to income changes during this extended period. It also adds a provision allowing women with family income above 300% of the poverty line to qualify if medical expenses for family members are covered, extending this eligibility to all family members. The bill requires federal approval for the 365-day extension to take effect.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends Medicaid coverage for postpartum women from 60 to 365 days, expanding health insurance access without income barriers during postpartum period.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Dec 10, 2025

AB 388: Relating to: grant program for an integrated mental health facility. (FE)

AB 388 creates a one-time grant program to fund Rogers Behavioral Health for constructing an integrated mental health facility in Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley region. The facility will provide inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services for adolescents and adults. To receive the grant, Rogers must submit detailed certification plans for each service type (e.g., inpatient, residential) and report annually on facility operations and Medical Assistance patient access. The bill establishes specific requirements for facility certification under state health codes and mandates annual reporting to the Department of Health Services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds construction of integrated mental health facility providing inpatient/residential services, directly expanding access to care through grant program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Oct 22, 2025

SB 183: Relating to: reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE)

SB 183 modifies reimbursement rules for emergency medical services under Wisconsin's Medical Assistance program. It sets a maximum $175 reimbursement rate for emergency responders when patients are not transported to a hospital. The bill also requires reporting on changes to emergency medical responder scope of practice and updates eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. These changes directly affect emergency medical service providers billing the Medical Assistance program.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCaps emergency service reimbursements at $175, reducing state spending under Medical Assistance program.85% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill caps emergency service reimbursement at $175 under Medical Assistance, restricting provider payments and limiting funding for emergency services.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Oct 22, 2025

SB 182: Relating to: emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program. (FE)

SB 182 provides tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and practitioners enrolled in technical college emergency medical services (EMS) programs. It requires technical colleges offering EMS programs to prioritize grant funds for expanding student enrollment access - either through direct program expansion or by contracting with districts for expansion services. The bill also updates program terminology throughout (replacing "course" with "program") to clarify educational standards. This directly affects EMS students, technical colleges, and the state's EMS workforce development system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition/materials reimbursement for EMS students and mandates technical colleges to expand enrollment access, directly funding higher education access and program growth.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides tuition/reimbursement for EMS education, expanding workforce training to improve emergency medical services access and provider capacity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare