(The Center Square) – The latest look at improving health care in Wisconsin admits it is a tough task, but says it is not impossible.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a free market legal group, on Thursday released its new health care report, A Healthier Future, which suggests several ways to improve care, access and costs in the state.
“The conversation on health care has been centered around insurance coverage for years, but this alone does not make health care more affordable or accessible. About 33% of insured US adults are concerned about affording their monthly premiums, and 44% are worried about affording health care before their deductible is met,” the report states. “Insurance coverage on its own is simply not enough to fix problems of worker shortages, unfree market supplies or lack of access. We must implement policies that address the root causes.”
WILL’s report looks at three main areas –freedom to practice, rising health care costs and lack of access.
Part of the issue of freedom to practice is a large focus on deregulation. WILL wants to tackle things like allowing advanced practice registered nurses more independence to treat patients and allowing foreign doctors more latitude to practice as well.
“I think most people understand the need for more accessible and affordable healthcare, even just through their own personal experiences. But health care is a complicated issue where special interest groups hold a lot of political power, so politics definitely a large roadblock to making policy changes,” Policy Associate Miranda Spindt told The Center Square.
WILL’s focus on affordability looks at policies that would require price transparency, and repeal Wisconsin’s minimum mark-up law that forbids pharmacies from selling some prescription drugs at a lower price.
“Unless Wisconsin residents work in an industry that is directly impacted by the Unfair Sales Act, it is highly unlikely they would be aware of its existence, let alone that it increases their prescription drug costs,” Spindt said. “This law is almost 85 years old and has survived multiple attempts to repeal or amend it, despite being unnecessary and hurting consumers more than it helps.”
As for access, the WILL report suggests more direct primary care options, an end to Wisconsin’s cap on nursing homes and more options for telemedicine.
There have been some pieces of legislation in Wisconsin that would pick-up parts of the report’s solutions but WILL said more is needed.
