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WAMSS Advocacy
By: Trish Monis, CPCS – Advocacy Chair
As Advocacy Chair for WAMSS, I recently had the privilege of representing our society at Advocacy Day hosted by the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) in Madison. With more than 1,000 health care leaders from across the state in attendance, the day was a powerful reminder of the collective strength and shared mission of Wisconsin’s health care community.
It was an honor to stand alongside hospital administrators, physicians, nurses, and health care professionals—each committed to ensuring that our patients and communities receive the care they deserve. I was proud to represent WAMSS and to bring forward the issues that directly impact our members and the hospitals we support.
State Budget: Expressing Gratitude and Urging Continued Support
One of our key messages to legislators was gratitude.
We thanked lawmakers for their timely and historic commitment to hospitals and health care providers in the most recent state budget. Wisconsin hospitals care for patients regardless of their ability to pay and remain the largest providers of services to Medicaid recipients.
However, the financial reality is stark:
- Wisconsin hospitals are reimbursed only 63% of the cost to deliver care to Medicaid patients.
- This results in an annual shortfall of $1.3 billion.
- These unreimbursed costs are shifted to other payers — often referred to as the Hidden Health Care Tax.
The most recent state budget took historic action by expanding the state’s hospital assessment to increase Medicaid rate support. While we are still awaiting federal approval, we applauded legislators for their swift response and meaningful commitment to stabilizing hospital funding across Wisconsin.
Workforce: Breaking Down Barriers to Care
Workforce challenges remain one of the most pressing issues facing our health care system.
According to Wisconsin’s 2026 Health Care Workforce Report, vacancy rates are improving. However, demographic trends continue to create significant strain, and progress alone is not enough to meet rising demand.
We asked lawmakers to support strategies that:
- Break down barriers to entering the health care workforce
- Address legal, regulatory, and payer obstacles
- Reduce burdensome insurance requirements
- Support workplace culture and workforce well-being
Despite progress, unnecessary or overly complex regulations and insurance requirements continue to create administrative strain and contribute to burnout. Addressing these barriers will help strengthen retention, improve morale, and ensure patients continue to receive timely access to care.
Delayed Discharges & Next-of-Kin Legislation
Another critical topic discussed was delayed hospital discharges and the need to support Next-of-Kin legislation (Assembly Bill 598).
Hospitals provide acute-level care until a patient is medically ready for discharge—either to home or to a post-acute care setting such as a nursing home or assisted living facility. However, under current law, family members often lack the authority to transfer incapacitated loved ones unless a Power of Attorney for Health Care is already in place.
Without that authority, families may be forced into a lengthy and expensive court-ordered guardianship process.
The proposed Next-of-Kin legislation would:
- Empower family members to act on behalf of incapacitated loved ones
- Avoid unnecessary guardianship proceedings
- Reduce prolonged hospital stays for patients who no longer require acute care
- Help free up hospital beds for patients who truly need hospital-level services
Delayed discharges can result in patients waiting weeks in a hospital bed despite a more appropriate care setting being available. Supporting this legislation is both a patient-centered and system-centered solution.
I am happy to report that our efforts paid off; the Wisconsin State Legislature passed Assembly Bill 598 on March 18th, with strong bipartisan support from both chambers.
Representing WAMSS with Pride
Advocacy Day was not only about policy, but it was also about partnership. Connecting with over 1,000 health care leaders from across Wisconsin reinforced the importance of collaboration and a unified voice.
As Advocacy Chair, I was proud to represent WAMSS in these conversations and to ensure that our perspective remains part of the dialogue shaping the future of health care in our state.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve in this role and to advocate on behalf of our members and the patients we ultimately support. Together, our voices truly make a difference.
