Healthcare Budget 

Besides the condition of our roads, making sure everyone has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare was clearly the top priority of you, my constituents, during the latest campaign cycle. 

 I’m proud to say that we have made significant progress in that area with the 2019-21 state budget.

Specifically beneficial to our region, the biennial budget that was signed into law increases spending for nursing homes by $30 million, resulting in a 7 percent hike in nursing home reimbursement rates. The natural beauty and cultural attractions that make our area a popular tourism destination also make it an attractive place in which to retire. This boost in funding will provide a great benefit to that particular population.  

The state budget also includes increases of $37 million for personal care workers, $27 million for direct caregivers in Family Care and $60 million for disproportionate share hospital payments, which assist healthcare facilities that serve a higher portion of Medicaid patients.

These totals are all more than what Gov. Tony Evers proposed in his budget. More importantly, we are utilizing these dollars in a way that prioritizes people over programs. By going this route, we will greatly improve our chances of offsetting the workforce shortages we've had in these industries. Low reimbursement rates have made it especially difficult for providers to pay competitive wages to attract workers, and this budget will help reverse that. 

I am also tremendously pleased that the budget fully funds our state's $200 million Healthcare Stability Plan, which was created by Republicans in 2018 to stabilize the individual healthcare market. The program has decreased private health insurance premiums by 4.2 percent in 2019.

Additionally, I am very happy that our state's spending plan takes care of our veterans by providing nearly $30 million more – the largest state-funded increase ever – to support health programs for the brave men and women who have valiantly served our country.  

Part of that money will go to the Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program, which assists veterans who have a mental health condition or substance abuse disorder.

The budget also aims to improve mental health services for all Wisconsin residents by funding a $13.3 million portion of the non-federal share of the Medicaid Crisis Intervention benefit and allowing Crisis Program Enhancement grants to be used to establish or expand a crisis program.

Furthermore, the budget makes vital investments in our rural areas by adding $9.9 million to the Rural Critical Care Hospital Supplement and providing $1 million in grants to free and charitable clinics and community health centers.

Overall, I believe the Department of Health Services' portion of the budget is a sound plan that will go a long way toward helping all of our residents with their healthcare needs, whether they live in a big city or a small town. And that is the way it should be.  

I'm with Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center Executive Director Pam Seiler and her daughter, Jenna Seiler.

Concert Series

I had a great time this week volunteering at the Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center's booth at Sturgeon Bay's Harmony by the Bay, which is part of the free Door County Concerts in the Park series.

 I'll also be returning next week to volunteer at the Sturgeon Bay musical event, where the featured act will be one of my favorites, Big Mouth & The Power Tool Horns.

In addition to Sturgeon Bay, the locations of the other Door County concerts are in Baileys Harbor, Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek and Sister Bay. The lineups for these shows can be found by clicking here.

The fun doesn't end in Door County, however. Several municipalities in Kewaunee County also host free Music in the Park events, including Kewaunee, Algoma and Luxemburg.

With summer winding down, there are only a few weeks left of these local concerts. I try to attend as many as I can because they provide a great opportunity to enjoy a breath of fresh air, hang out with family and friends and listen to some great music.

 I hope to see you at one in the future.

Equifax Settlement 

I would like to make sure all of you are aware that the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of 50 attorneys general have announced settlements with Equifax that will offer payments to consumers who were impacted by the company's 2017 data breach.

According to the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Equifax has agreed to pay up to $445 million to help compensate the roughly 147 million victims who had their personal data stolen from the consumer credit reporting agency's servers.

As part of its investigation, the Federal Trade Commission determined that Equifax failed to take reasonable steps to secure its network.

I strongly encourage you to review the settlements on the Federal Trade Commission's website and submit your claim as soon as possible.

To see if you are eligible to receive a payment from the settlements, please click here. To file a claim, please click on this link.

The claims period opened recently and ends on Jan. 22, 2020. Depending on the final approval from the court, benefits could be distributed on Jan. 23, 2020, at the earliest.

Upcoming District Events

What: Door County Fair
Where: John Miles Fair Park, 812 N. 14th Ave., Sturgeon Bay, WI
When: Friday, Aug. 2, Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4
Details: "Carnival rides, food stands, 4-H animal barns, grandstand events, kids and family tents. Visit doorcountyfair.com for more information. $7/daily passes. $18/booster buttons include entry, rides, grandstand events, music, and special entertainments on ground."

What: Cherry Fest
Where: Lakeside Park, at Highway 57 and County V, Jacksonport, WI
When: Saturday, Aug. 3, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Details: "Historical display, car show, fine arts & crafts, food, live music by Highland Road (10am-12pm) and Modern Day Drifters (12-4pm), children's penny hunt (1pm), wagon rides (11am-3pm), and more. Visit jacksonport.net for more information."

What: Czech & Kolache Festival
Where: Heritage Farm, N2251 Highway 42, Kewaunee, WI
When: Saturday. Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4
Details: "Enjoy two full days and evenings of Czech food, Kolache baking demonstrations and Kolache sales at Heritage Farm.  There will also be plenty of Czech music, dancing, beer gardens, Czech vendors and displays!  The festival opens at 10AM on Saturday, Aug. 3 and at 9AM on Sunday, Aug.  4.   There will be a limited amount of kolaches baked each morning and a limited amount that can be purchased."