Healthcare: Going Forward in Dane County and Wisconsin
Recent legislation challenges the funding of our healthcare. This impacts the entire system but especially those whose access to healthcare was already at risk, including the rural areas of our state. This forum will consider the impact of the legislation on the Wisconsin and Dane County healthcare system. Experts from our state will cover all aspects of healthcare affected, including Medicaid and its impact on nursing home funding, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance, Medicare, and rural healthcare delivery.
This will be a hybrid forum. Please register whether you intend to participate via Zoom or in-person. [Registration link to come.]
Resource materials will be available before the event.
A recording will be posted after the forum.
We will offer an opportunity to participate in a moderated discussion a few days after the event; details to come.
Speakers:
Impact of federal legislation on public healthcare programs and access
Jason Stein, President, Wisconsin Policy Forum
Jason Stein has worked with the Wisconsin Policy Forum since 2018, serving as President since July 2024, and prior to that as Vice President and Research Director. His reports have received multiple awards from the Governmental Research Association. His recent work on federal funding cuts and the state budget discusses potential impacts to Medicaid in particular and to health care more generally. Before joining the Forum, Jason worked as a Capitol reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and for the Wisconsin State Journal.
Accessibility challenges
Shiva Bidar, Co-Chair of Latino Health Council of Dane County
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff is a leader and effective champion for social impact and belonging at the individual, organizational, and community levels. She has been working on issues related to health disparities for over 30 years. She served as an alder on the City of Madison Common Council from 2009-2021, co-chairs the Latino Health Council of Dane County, and is a member of the Access Community Health Center board. She has also served on the Governor’s Health Equity Council and as a member of the Madison Community Foundation Board. Her many accolades include being named as the 2010 City of Madison/Dane County Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient, Visionary Award, and Centro Hispano of Dane County, September 2018.
Healthcare turmoil in rural Wisconsin
Jeremy Levin, Director of Advocacy, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
Jeremy Levin is the Director of Advocacy at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC). Jeremy has been with RWHC since 2008, advocating at both the state and federal levels of government in the area of health policy for their network of rural hospitals. Prior to his time at RWHC, Jeremy spent five years advocating for physicians at the Wisconsin Medical Society. He also worked in the Wisconsin State Legislature and served on the Dane County Board. Jeremy serves as a member of Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Council on Public Policy, Council on Rural Health and Advocacy Committee. He also is a member of the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin Advisory Board, the Immunize Wisconsin Advisory Board, and the National Rural Health Association’s Board of Trustees.
Moderator:
Carol Koby, LWV of Dane County Member
An experienced broadcaster and moderator, Carol Koby has had an extensive career in communications, most recently as Executive Producer/Host of the long-running radio program All About Living and moderator of the cable television program Picture of Health for UW Health. A pioneer in television journalism, Carol was the first Women’s Director at WITI-TV, Milwaukee, and served in many on-air roles at WKOW-TV in Madison. She moderated the 2025 LWVDC forum, Responsible Gun Legislation, and the summer 2024 LWVWI podcasts.