UW System budget request to include $90 million for health care worker training (UNDATED)
A major investment to train more health care workers in Wisconsin. Universities of Wisconsin Interim President Renée Wachter unveiled a plan to train 35,000 new health care professionals over the next decade. The proposed Healthy Wisconsin plan is the first major piece of the UW System’s 2026-27 budget request and would invest $90 million across the state’s 13 public universities. Wachter says the goal is to strengthen the health care workforce pipeline and improve access to care statewide as providers face ongoing staffing shortages.
Carefully review alternative health coverage plans before enrolling (UNDATED)
Wisconsin insurance regulators are urging consumers to do their homework before signing up for alternative health coverage plans. Sarah Smith with the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance says many of those plans are not comprehensive health insurance and may offer only limited benefits. She advises shoppers to carefully review coverage, exclusions, and benefits before enrolling. Regulators also warn consumers to avoid unsolicited online offers and scammers, and to use the official federal marketplace at Healthcare.gov when shopping for coverage.
Watch out for phony online product reviews, says BBB (UNDATED)
Watch out for shady reviews online. Lisa Schiller with the Better Business Bureau says it’s easy to post an online review, but there’s definitely signs it might be phony. “If a reviewer has a very common or a generic name, you know, like John Smith or, you know, Anne Doe, something like that, you’ve spotted a red flag.” Other things to look out for is a large number of reviews all made at the same time, or reviews that repeat words or phrases from other reviews. If you’re seeing a lot of bots in the comments, it’s a sign to find another item.