Supreme Court agrees with WisMed/AMA on local health dept. powers

The Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling on July 8 supporting local public health departments’ ability to issue orders protecting the public during certain events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) joined the American Medical Association’s (AMA) litigation center on an amicus brief supporting the stance that the state legislature through state law has properly empowered local public health departments – and their officials – to make these efforts.

The court’s majority opinion in Jeffrey Becker v. Dane County agreed with WisMed’s desired outcome. The ruling has three main holdings:

• Wis. Stats. § 252.03 appropriately grants local health officers the authority to issue orders under certain circumstances.
• No state law preempts the ordinance passed in Dane County which makes such orders enforceable by creating fines and possible jail time for violations.
• The specific state statute and county ordinance involved in this case do not constitute an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power.

Justice Jill Karofsky wrote the majority opinion, which Justices Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet joined in its entirety. Justice Brian Hagedorn joined in the three holdings but wrote a concurring opinion to further discuss “nondelegation doctrine” and when it is appropriate for the state legislature to delegate certain powers.

The dissent, authored by Justice Rebecca Bradley and joined by Chief Justice Annette Ziegler and Justice Patience Roggensack, opines that the state constitution does not allow the state legislature to grant certain powers to county boards, and therefore actions Dane County public health director Janel Heinrich took during the pandemic were unconstitutional. The dissent pulls no punches throughout its 53-page reasoning, including references to Heinrich as an “autocrat” wielding “dictatorial powers” and whose “tyranny” subjects citizens to “the whims of an unaccountable overlord.” The majority opinion called out the dissent’s rhetoric as “a poor substitute for legal argument.”

Contact WisMed Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Mark Grapentine, JD via email or message him in WisMed Mobile for more information.

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Around the State in 8 Districts touching down in District 4

Through the Around the State in 8 Districts campaign, the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation (Foundation) is thrilled to award a grant to Keep Area Teens Safe (KATS) in Wausau, a program championed by Mary Jo Freeman, MD. KATS is the only area teen shelter care facility and serves several counties. They provide a safe and welcoming transitional home to youth who seek their services due to homelessness, neglect and/or abuse by a caregiver, poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, loss of family income, conflict in their home environment and/or human trafficking.

Doctor Freeman, in recommending KATS for support, noted, “Being homeless clearly impacts the health and the future success of these 12 to 17-year-olds.” She added, “The kids come with nothing and need clothing, medical care, dental care.” KATS serves as a voluntary safe haven for 20 days while outreach staff works with other organizations to secure a long-term and safe living environment for each youth. In addition to secure housing, KATS provides trauma-informed care, nutritious meals, case management, academic support, connection to mentorship, mental health resources and connections to other community services to ensure the support and care of each youth.

Please help the Foundation to support important community programs that are increasing health equity and access through the Around the State in 8 Districts campaign. Through this campaign, every dollar will go directly back to your district to support a program championed by your fellow physicians.

In the 2022 Physician County Survey, physicians across the state helped the Foundation identify the issues that were most significant in each county related to physician workforce and population health. Physicians like Dr. Freeman also helped the Foundation identify worthwhile programs like KATS and those nonprofits were invited to apply for grant support. The dedicated physicians and public volunteers on the Foundation Grant Committee screen the applications and prioritize funding grants as funds become available. Your donations to Around the State in 8 Districts will help ensure community health programs that are providing much needed direct care in your community receive funding that can extend their good work.

Please complete our 2023 Physician County Survey to help the Foundation and Wisconsin Medical Society in setting priorities to better serve physicians and our communities. To learn more about KATS, please visit katswi.org.

Help us improve health equity and access in your community by donating today to the Around the State in 8 Districts campaign. For questions or to learn more about the Foundation or our programs, please contact Executive Director, Elizabeth Ringle at elizabeth.ringle@wismed.org at any time.

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Primary debates

See for yourself! Debates are set for primary candidates in the race for U.S. Senate and Governor.

WTMJ-TV Milwaukee and Marquette University are co-hosting July debates for the qualifying candidates in the contested primaries for U.S. Senate and Governor.

On Sunday, July 17, Democratic candidates looking to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator Ron Johnson will debate from 6-7 p.m. on your local NBC affiliate. The debate will include Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and nonprofit founder Steven Olikara.

On Sunday, July 24, the Republican candidates for the gubernatorial race against Governor Tony Evers will debate from 6-7 p.m. on your local NBC affiliate. The debate will include former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, businessman Tim Michels and State Representative Tim Ramthun.

If you’re undecided in these races, this is a great way to familiarize yourself with each candidate.

The primary election for these races as well as many others throughout the state is August 9. Don’t forget to vote!

In the meantime, please consider contributing to WISMedPAC or WISMedDIRECT. If you have any questions, please call Heidi Green at 608.442.3720.

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New leadership on the WisMed Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force

Guest article by Anna Heffron, MD, PhD

Anna Heffron, MD, PhD

Amber Sheth

This past May brought a transition in our Wisconsin Medical Society’s (WisMed) Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Task Force. While I am saddened to be leaving my role as Co-Chair of the JEDI Task Force, I am delighted to introduce the incoming Co-Chair, Amber Sheth. Amber is a rising fourth-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She has had extensive experience working in spaces oriented toward justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and I am thrilled to see where the WisMed JEDI Task Force goes under her leadership.

Amber will lead alongside Ridhwi Mukerji, MD, FACP, with whom I served as Co-Chair over the past year, and whose leadership, enthusiasm and experience has likewise been invaluable. We are grateful for the involvement of staff, particularly Stephanie Taylor, Elizabeth Ringle and Marje Murray, over the past year. We also wanted to give a shout-out to graduating students, residents and fellows who will no longer be serving on the Task Force as they are moving to different states: Andre Obua, MD, Andrew Huang, MD, Michael McNamara, MD, Taylor Boland Rigby, MD, and Shannon Tai, MD. 

The JEDI Task Force was formed by the directive of WisMed policy PUB-049, Racism as a Public Health Crisis in Wisconsin, adopted by our WisMed House of Delegates in August 2020. The Task Force created, distributed and is analyzing data from a survey to Wisconsin physicians and medical students regarding equity and discrimination within WisMed and Wisconsin medical practice, and the Task Force looks forward to presenting these results to the Wisconsin Medical Society. The Task Force is preparing Continuing Medical Education for WisMed membership and centralizing resources for members to use. The Task Force mission and objectives are described on the WisMed website.

It has been a true honor to co-lead this task force, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude to its members. Members of the Task Force have been exemplary in their enthusiasm and diligence for making WisMed and Wisconsin medicine as a whole more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive. I was humbled to be able to help start this work with the JEDI Task Force, and I very much look forward to seeing its next directions.

For any members interested in joining the JEDI Task Force, please contact membership@wismed.org with inquiries or a statement of your interest. As the Task Force continues its work, we certainly need many hands and heads willing and able to contribute to these efforts. Physicians and trainees from marginalized backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. 

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Both Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines now recommended for ages 6 months and older

Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced the authorization and recommendation for use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years of age for their primary series. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) supports the CDC recommendation.

Now everyone age 6 months and older is eligible to receive either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines against COVID-19 for their primary series. Previously, only the Pfizer vaccine had been approved for all age groups. For full protection, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine primary series requires two doses, 28 days apart. The vaccine for ages 12 through 17 years is the same vaccine dose as the Moderna vaccine for patients 18 and older. The vaccine for patients 6 through 11 years of age is half the dosage of the Moderna vaccine now approved for those 12 and older. 

COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost – including those who do not have insurance and those whose insurance does not cover COVID-19 vaccination. Parents and guardians can schedule a vaccination via a variety of options, including their health care provider, community-based vaccination clinics, local and tribal health departments or pharmacies. Parents and guardians can check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site.

DHS also provides vaccination resources to support summer mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics that will vaccinate everyone 6 months and older. To request a mobile vaccination clinic, fill out the State COVID-19 Resource Matching Survey. DHS can accommodate requests up to four weeks in advance. For free, confidential support finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211. For current information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage.

Thank you for your continued service and dedication to protecting the health of your patients and community.

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Your life has only 3 planning scenarios

You’ll either have a long life, health problems along the way or a short life. That’s it.

Plan for those three situations whether you’re single, married, with or without kids and most of your planning is done. Let’s look at how to plan for each.

First, essential tasks for everyone:

• Manage monthly cash flow. Call it a budget, spending plan, living below your means or whatever makes it appealing to you. It doesn’t matter if you have high income or low income, everyone needs to control their inflow and outflow.
• Life happens, have an emergency fund.
• Pay off all high interest consumer debt.
• Give of your time, resources and be thankful. Live happy.

Plan for a long life:

• Are you saving at least 15% for retirement with the right investments? Boosting it to 20-25% is even better.
• Have you maximized your tax advantaged retirement accounts through your employer and on your own?
• Will your tax burden be higher or lower in the future? Hint – if you have a lot of tax deferred investments, you could be igniting a tax bomb that hits later in life.
• Save for kids’ education expenses.
• Determine the monthly income you’ll have in retirement from all sources.
• Dream about your future.

Plan for health problems:

• Health insurance is the obvious answer.
• Auto and umbrella insurance can provide for you via uninsured/underinsured coverage.
• Disability insurance that replaces two-thirds of your income if you can’t perform your own occupation is critical, especially during your early and mid-career. A policy with an inflation adjustment is even better.
• Everyone over age 18 should have health care and financial power of attorney documents.
• Do you have a source to pay for long-term care expenses? If not, consider an insurance policy.

Plan for a short life:

• If anyone depends on you for income, get term life insurance. It’s cheap, so don’t skimp.
• Are your beneficiary designations correct?
• Do you need a will or trust?
• Ensure your family knows where to find your documents and accounts.
• Tell your family you love them. And if you’re faithful, pray.

Since we don’t know the future, all three plans are important for everyone. Our Physician’s Financial Guide has even more tips. Or, for one-on-one help schedule an appointment. 

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.

Originally posted in The Antidote, May 12, 2022

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