Regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers

The Assembly voted this week to pass Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) which would regulate Pharmacy Benefit Managers. These entities act as a middleman between pharmacies and insurance companies, playing a role in patient access to medications, determining which pharmacies patients can use, and establishing how much patients pay for prescription drugs.

SB 3 has now been passed by both the Senate and Assembly. The bill will ensure greater transparency and accountability. Specifically, the bill will:

• Require PBMs to be licensed with the state of Wisconsin. This will provide greater protection for patients.
  
  
• Provide patient access to information about how much money PBMs are receiving in subsidies from drug manufacturers and how much of that money is kept by the PBMs and not passed through in savings to the consumer.
  
  
• Prohibit gag rules that PBMs currently use to keep pharmacists from informing patients about certain lower-cost options.
  
  
• Require PBMs to inform patients prior to discontinuing coverage of their medications or making changes that increase patient costs for particular medications.

This legislation is a good first step toward addressing prescription drug affordability, and I look forward to continuing to work to make prescription drugs more affordable.

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Highlights from the Assembly Floor

The full Assembly met twice this week to address a number of bills. A few highlights are included below:

• Unemployment Insurance: Democrats offered a motion to suspend Wisconsin’s one-week waiting period for the Unemployment Insurance program. The most recent suspension of the waiting period expired on March 14. Under the American Rescue Plan, recently passed by Congress, Wisconsin will lose an estimated $2.6 million per <per what??> if the one-week waiting period is not suspended into September. Assembly Democrats tried to remedy this problem with an amendment to another COVID-related bill, but the Republicans voted to reject it. As a result, hardworking Wisconsinites who lose their jobs as a result of the ongoing financial fallout of the pandemic will lose a week of unemployment compensation which would have been paid for entirely from federal recovery funds and without any state dollars.
• Natural Hair Braiding: Kudos to my colleague and our neighbor on the near west side of Madison, Rep. Shelia Stubbs, on passage of Assembly Bill 121 which would enable individuals to do natural hair braiding without a license. State law is currently ambiguous requires those who and leaves those who braid hair out of their homes unsure whether they need a barber and cosmetology license If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor, this legislation would remove these regulatory barriers to allow more individuals to start their own small businesses exclusively practicing natural hair braiding.
• Addressing COVID-19:The COVID-19 pandemic has created regulatory barriers for hospitals to discharge patients to alternate care settings. Assembly Bill 148 makes a number of changes to address the challenges our hospitals face in the pandemic. The bill also makes changes within the Medicaid system to provide more options for long-term care patients who may not immediately be able to return to their nursing home after receiving COVID care at the hospital.

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COVID-19 Update
Over 2 million doses administered; expanded and expedited eligibility

As of March 19, over 2.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Wisconsin, and nearly 1.4 million Wisconsinites have had at least one dose.

As vaccine phases overlap, not all individuals from previously eligible groups will have been vaccinated as new groups are added. Vaccine supply is still limited, so those ineligible groups may not be able to immediately schedule or attain a vaccination. Please continue to remain patient as our health professionals work to get individuals vaccinated as quickly as possible.

This week, Governor Tony Evers and DHS announced that the wide group of individuals that were scheduled to become eligible for COVID-19 vaccination beginning March 29 will now be eligible a week sooner, on March 22. On March 22, vaccine eligibility will open to individuals age 16 and over with the following medical conditions:

• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cancer
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD
• Cystic fibrosis
• Down syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
• Liver disease
• Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30-39 kg/m2)
• Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
• Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
• Thalassemia

Keep in mind that vaccinators may need to prioritize populations within this group depending on vaccine supply.

Also, DHS has announced that restaurant workers are now eligible to receive vaccine, as are judges, prosecutors, and other essential criminal court personnel.

As a reminder, the Vaccine Assistance Hotline is available. Wisconsinites can call toll-free 844-684-1064 for personal assistance with their vaccine-related questions.

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Tax Filing Deadline Extended

Following similar action by the IRS for federal tax returns, on Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) extended the filing deadline for Wisconsin tax returns from April 15 to May 17.

• Individuals do not have to file any extension forms to be eligible for this new due date.
  
  
• No interest or penalties will accrue during the period of April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. Interest and late filing fees will apply beginning May 18, 2021.
  
  
• No underpayment interest will apply for failure to make quarterly estimated individual income tax payments for the 2020 tax year.
  
  
• This relief is solely for 2020 individual income tax returns and payments that are normally due on due April 15, 2021.
  
  
• This relief does not apply to:
  • 2021 estimated tax payments for individuals, the first payment of which is due April 15, 2021, or
  • to any other returns or tax payments due to the Department of Revenue.

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Standing with our Nurses

On Tuesday, I joined nurses from Meriter Hospital for a press conference at the State Capitol. The nurses are currently in contract negotiations and are seeking a boost in incentive pay for extra shifts, additional paid time off to replace time off lost due to COVID-19 illness or quarantine, and input into future crisis response management. Our nurses have worked so hard for us throughout the pandemic, and they deserve a contract that reflects the sacrifices they have made over the past year.

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Budget Update: Forward Wisconsin

Forward Wisconsin is a project of the Wisconsin Assembly Democrats to life the voices of Wisconsinites who believe our state budget should work for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for Wisconsin families and small businesses, and now is the time to invest in an economic recovery that benefits all of us. Through the Forward Wisconsin initiative, we are hosting virtual meetings and listening sessions to hear your feedback on our next state budget.

The next event will be held on March 24, 2021, and will focus on healthcare. Sessions focusing on education and childcare, criminal justice reform and democracy, and climate environment, and equal rights were held earlier this month.

Upcoming Meeting Dates/Topics:

March 24 at 7 pm: Healthcare (Register Here)

March 31 at 7 pm: Economy and Infrastructure

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DWD to Begin Modernizing Unemployment IT System

On Thursday, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced that it is proceeding with a $2.4 million federal grant to begin to upgrade the 1970s-era computer system it uses to administer unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. DWD has long been calling attention to its antiquated system, which limited its customer service options and slowed the processing of unemployment claims both during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. It also forced the Department to delay the implementation of new federal unemployment programs and extensions created in response to the pandemic.

Legislative Republicans have so far blocked state funding to modernize the UI system. Gov. Evers has allocated $79.5 million in his proposed budget for necessary upgrades.

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Wisconsin Fun Fact
Celebrating Women’s History Month

Hanging Cloud (Aazhawigiizhigokwe in Ojibwe) was born around 1835, and lived most of her life around present-day Rice Lake, WI. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, she is the only woman to ever become a full Native warrior. She wore war paint, carried full weapons, and took part in battles, raids, and hunting parties. She was a full member of the war council, performed war dances, and participated in all warrior ceremonies. Shortly after her father's death in 1855, her village was ambushed. In this ambush, she defended her village. She later described being very proud of that period of her life.

Hanging Cloud was married three times in her life, to all non-Native Americans. Her first marriage was to lumberman Joe Koveo. Her next marriage was to Rice Lake's first mayor, James Bracklin. Her last marriage was to lumberman Samuel Barker. She had six total children from her marriages. In her later years, she lived in the Whitefish community of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation with her son Thomas Bracklin. She passed away in 1919.

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