MON AM News: Baldwin pledges to fight for ‘robust’ Tech Hub funding under new administration; Patient advocates praise Evers’ prescription drug plan

January 27, 2025

— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has pledged to fight for “robust funding” for the federal Tech Hub program under the new administration, noting some of Donald Trump’s advisors may be open to continued government support for innovation.

Speaking during a recent webinar hosted by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, the Madison Dem discussed a recent meeting with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce. She said she made a point to spotlight the Tech Hub program as well as Wisconsin’s Biohealth Tech Hub effort in that conversation.

“I think he has a little of a learning curve, but I made sure he knew about our particular tech hub in the state of Wisconsin, and that there would be bipartisan support for the program, because there were tech hubs in many different states,” she said.

She added “there will be some changes” due to the new administration’s differing priorities and Republicans gaining control of the U.S. Senate in the 2024 elections, but aims to keep the tech hub program running.

“Frankly, just to be really clear, if somebody does propose cutting this, we’re fighting back,” she said. “We’re not just going to roll over and say, ‘Oops, that was nice while it lasted.’ We’re going to fight to make sure this program stays robustly supported.”

After the state’s tech hub effort, led by BioForward Wisconsin, was initially selected for the program, the U.S. Economic Development Administration recommended it receive about $49 million to advance a series of projects. These relate to mobile cancer screening in underserved areas, using AI and other data techniques to advance technology integration in various industries, establishing talent pipelines and more.

Baldwin also acknowledged the role of the new Department of Government Efficiency, which is tasked with reducing government spending, noting it will likely be recommending some “pretty painful” cuts.

But she said “at least some” of the advisors Trump is tapping for his second term understand the importance of innovation happening in the United States.

“And in fact, a couple of them also understand very well the need for government support of some of that innovation,” she said. “So if, frankly, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk have the president’s ear, hopefully we can build some alliances there too.”

Watch the video.

— Patient advocates are praising Gov. Tony Evers’ prescription drug plan, while a group of community-based insurers say they’re always assessing the best way to lower costs for members.

The plan detailed in Evers’ State of the State address includes a wide range of measures related to prescription drugs, ranging from ending the sales tax on over-the-counter medications and establishing a $35 copay cap on insulin to creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board and drug importation program.

The guv’s office said dropping the sales tax from prescription drugs would save Wisconsinites $40 million a year.

After Evers announced that his 2025-27 Executive Budget will include these and other cost-saving measures, a spokesperson for the progressive group Protect our Care said the proposal includes “non-controversial, commonsense, good faith efforts to lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs” for Wisconsin residents.

“It is shocking that Republican lawmakers have worked against the Governor’s similar efforts to bring costs down in the past,” the spokesperson said in an email. “It is our sincere hope that narrower margins in the legislature force Republican lawmakers to the table to finally do something on healthcare costs for Wisconsin families.”

When asked for comment on Evers’ plan, Wisconsin Association of Health Plans Executive Director John Nygren said community-based insurers are “constantly evaluating the most effective methods to reduce costs and deliver value” for their members.

“We look forward to identifying opportunities to lower the high costs of prescription drugs with the goal of improving access and outcomes for Wisconsin families,” said Nygren, a Republican who previously served in the state Assembly.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Quartz Health Benefits Corporation, which offers plans in many Wisconsin counties, said the insurer is “committed to abiding by all laws and regulations” in the areas where it operates.

“We will evaluate the impact on Quartz policies or plans in the event any relevant changes are made in Wisconsin law,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

In a recent release, AARP Wisconsin State Director Martha Cranley said the interest group “whole-heartedly” agrees with Evers’ comments about health care affordability, including that paying for basic prescriptions or insulin shouldn’t “break the bank.”

“Affordable health care and Rx costs are a priority for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites,” Cranley said. “We will work with the governor and legislature to make sure this issue remains top of mind.”

See details of Evers’ plan here.

— As flu levels are on the rise statewide, UW Health is flagging a spike in related hospitalizations in Madison.

The health system on Friday said a third of patients tested for the flu last week were positive, and urged state residents to take precautions to help stop the spread of the virus, such as masking when symptomatic and getting vaccinated.

Dr. Dan Shirley, medical director of infection prevention at UW Health, says it’s not too late to get vaccines for the major respiratory viruses currently circulating, which also includes RSV and COVID-19. While it takes several weeks to build immunity, getting a vaccine now will provide protection as virus levels are “expected to remain high” for several weeks.

UW Health had no flu-related hospitalizations in early December, but had 40 by the week of Jan. 19, according to the release. The health system says that’s the highest level of flu-related hospitalizations at UW Health in the last three years, though it notes it has the capacity to handle the increase.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations for RSV and COVID-19 at UW Health are “slightly declining,” like they did at this point last year.

These trends fit the statewide picture, as flu activity in early January was high and increasing while both RSV and COVID-19 were moderate and stable, according to figures from the state Department of Health Services.

Across all respiratory virus categories, DHS reports activity was high but stable for the week ending Jan. 11. Since the end of August, the share of emergency department visits in Wisconsin where patients were diagnosed with a respiratory illness has risen from 11% to 21% at latest count, the agency’s site shows.

See UW Health’s release.

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— Gov. Tony Evers has announced Department of Financial Services Secretary Cheryll Olson-Collins will retire Feb. 3.

Evers has appointed Wendy Baumann, president and chief visionary officer of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiatives Corporation, as Olson-Collins’ replacement.

“I have had the privilege of working with Cheryll for several years, and I could not be more grateful for her years of dedicated leadership and service to the state of Wisconsin. Kathy and I wish her the very best on a well-deserved retirement,” Evers said Friday.

Baumann was also previously director of small business development at the Milwaukee Enterprise Center, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Wisconsin, director of development and research for the Council for the Spanish Speaking Inc. and a program coordinator for Goodwill Industries of Greater Milwaukee.

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