THE VALUED VOICE

Grassroots Spotlight: WHA Virtual Roundtable with Congressman Kind

The Wisconsin Hospital Association joined the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative and hospital and health system leaders in western Wisconsin for a virtual roundtable with Congressman Ron Kind on Jan. 11.

Health care leaders gave Rep. Kind an update on the improving picture of hospital capacity and progress being made on the vaccine rollout. Bed space and staffing continues to improve since the November surge, but hospitals remain diligent watching for any signs of a post-holiday spike. Most hospitals in the 3rd Congressional District reported they have vaccinated the majority of their staff and a number of unaffiliated providers, and many are eager to move on to the next phase of vaccination for the elderly and other at-risk populations.

The meeting was also an opportunity to thank Congressman Kind for a number of important health care priorities he worked to get included in the recently-passed year-end COVID package. Among the many provisions Rep. Kind pushed for were flexibility in spending COVID relief dollars; funding for testing, tracing and vaccines; a surprise billing solution supported by health care providers; and a number of rural-specific funding extensions and provisions.