WisMed Mobile now live!

WisMed Mobile, the Wisconsin Medical Society’s new app, is now available. WisMed Mobile allows members to stay up to date on health care and WisMed news, connect with other members, explore upcoming events and more – all from their phones. Download WisMed Mobile for free today!

Explore the app by voting in the poll, adding a profile picture, liking a post and contacting a colleague. Check out the user guide to get started or troubleshoot any questions.

Please contact membership@wismed.org for assistance.

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Support med students, community health with WisMed Foundation

Giving to the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation supports projects like funding mental health services in a women’s shelter, rapid COVID testing for vulnerable populations and MCAT and STEP study scholarships for students underrepresented in medicine. The Foundation was also able to continue to support Wisconsin’s Medical Students with scholarships, summer fellowships and student loans. Student support is designed to encourage students to return to Wisconsin to practice after training to help ease physician shortages. Thank you to the donors who stepped up in 2021 to help the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation serve their mission to improve the health of Wisconsin!

Your support of the end of year fundraising campaign is invaluable as the Foundation plans for next year's impact. The goal is to fund community grants in every Society district! What could be done in your area? If you have ideas please reach out to Marje Murray.

Always check with your financial advisor but there are deductions that can be taken to ease your tax burden as you give. This year the charitable deduction is up to $600 per couple, and if you are 70.5 years young or older, a Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD) may be the way to go. See the Medigram article here.

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Physician groups remind Capitol: physician-led care best for patients

A large coalition of physician specialty groups, the Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) and physician education leaders joined together once again to remind policymakers at the State Capitol that patients are best served by physician-led care. In a memo delivered to all 132 State Capitol offices earlier today (December 2), the coalition urged legislators to continue to be wary about Assembly Bill 396 and Senate Bill 394 – proposals that would dramatically change state law by allowing certain advanced practice nurses to diagnose and treat patients without any physician involvement.

While nursing groups supporting the bills put forward amendments to the original package, those changes fail to address the proposals’ critical flaw: allowing nurses to independently provide primary care, pain management and other services simply by obtaining an advanced nursing certificate would be a step backward in Wisconsin’s long history of providing high quality, efficient and effective health care. “If enacted in its current form,” the memo reads, “the legislation would create additional health care silos and thus less efficient, more expensive health care.”

As a WisMed member, you can help educate your elected officials by reaching out to your State Senator and State Assembly Representative to share how physician-led care is a vital component boosting Wisconsin’s overall health care system. You can find your legislators’ contact information on the State Legislature’s home page and typing your home address into the “Who Are My Legislators” box. You can also read more about the bills in previous Medigram articles.

Contact WisMed Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Mark Grapentine, JD with any questions or for additional information. 

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Physician Citizen of the Year Award nominations due December 31

Nominations for the Wisconsin Medical Society’s 2022 Physician Citizen of the Year Award are due December 31. First established by the Society in 1982, the award recognizes and encourages Wisconsin physicians who volunteer their time and talents through civic and cultural activities to improve the health and well-being of their communities.

2021 Physician Citizen of the Year Award recipient, Michelle Clark-Forsting, MD, was recognized during the June Board of Directors meeting. Dr. Clark-Forsting was selected for her extraordinary efforts but primarily her involvement in many community initiatives throughout her life. She leads by example, such as encouraging community members to provide meals for families struggling financially from the pandemic and providing education to stop the spread of COVID-19; organizing successful events like the Community Santa Event and the Cuddle Bear Drive and the development of the Hospice Teen Volunteer Program at the Black River Memorial Hospital. Her efforts were featured in the June 24, 2021 Medigram. Please share your congratulations with Dr. Clark-Forsting on WisMed Community.

Consider nominating a friend, colleague or personal physician for this award. Complete the nomination form here.

For additional information, contact Noreen Krueger.

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Improve medication adherence and chronic disease management

Wisconsin Health Literacy, a division of Wisconsin Literacy, works to improve both individual and organizational health literacy statewide. The Wisconsin Medical Society is working with Wisconsin Health Literacy to make medication labels easier to understand for patients and improve communication of medication directions. Pharmacies around Wisconsin have already improved the readability and formatting of prescription drug labels through this initiative. However, pharmacists are limited in how much they can change directions from what is written on prescriptions. Unambiguous medication directions are still needed to improve patient understanding of when/how to take their medication, which results in better control of chronic conditions.

Universal Medication Schedule (UMS) directions use health literacy best practices, such as numerals instead of spelled out numbers and explicit timings such as morning, noon, evening and bedtime, to create clearer directions for patients. They simplify drug regimens for patients and improve medication adherence. Patients are also better able to demonstrate when to take their medication with UMS directions than directions in any other format.

Please contact Jim Lorence for additional information regarding how you can use clear and explicit medication directions to improve chronic disease management.

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Thousands in tax savings by timing property tax payment

Paying property taxes before or after December 31, 2021 could reduce your income taxes by thousands of dollars. It depends on Congress and the itemized deduction for state and local taxes (SALT).

Taxpayers benefit from the higher of the standard deduction or itemized deduction, whichever provides the larger tax benefit when they file their income tax return. For 2021, the standard deduction is $12,550 single or $25,100 married filing joint.

Four of the more common itemized deductions on the federal Schedule A are:

• Medical and dental expenses
• Wisconsin income taxes plus property taxes, i.e. SALT
• Mortgage interest
• Charitable gifts

Historically, SALT has been capped at a maximum of $10,000 for both single and joint tax filers. Because of the cap, most taxpayers don’t have enough deductions, so they simply claim the standard deduction. However, that may be changing.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill raising the cap on SALT to $80,000, and it’s retroactive for 2021. The bill is now being debated by the Senate and some key Senators are opposed to this increase. It’s noteworthy that a prior version of this bill raised the cap on SALT starting in 2022.

What to do? For many, paying your property taxes in the year the SALT cap is increased will be beneficial. For instance, many physicians hit the $10,000 SALT cap with just their Wisconsin income taxes. So, paying property taxes doesn’t increase the deduction. However, let’s assume the cap is increased in 2022. By paying property taxes after January 1, 2022, itemized deductions would be increased by the property tax payment. For someone in the 35% tax bracket and $10,000 of property taxes, that’s $3,500 in tax savings!

Keep an eye out for SALT changes from Washington and work with your tax advisor on this and other strategies that may apply to you. If you don’t have an advisor, feel free to contact Mark Ziety, CFP®, AIF® 608.442.3750.

And don’t forget about the Retirement Success Workshop this month! Click here to register.

For personalized help eliminating debt, investing smart and securing retirement, please contact Mark Ziety, CFP®, AIF® 608.442.3750. 

Mark Ziety, CFP®, AIF®
WisMed Financial, Inc. part of the Wisconsin Medical Society.

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