15 Feb High quality, average costs make health care competitive edge worth touting for Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s consistently strong rankings for quality health care are a tangible marketing asset in the competition to attract and retain workers and businesses from other states, regions and nations.
Top-quartile rankings for health-care quality and cost figures roughly in line with regional and national figures mean Wisconsin workers and companies hold a competitive edge – but workforce shortages that began even before COVID-19 and the need to stay abreast of technology make continued progress a challenge.
Those are among conclusions in “Taking the Pulse: How Quality Health Care Builds a Better Economy,” a report issued Wednesday by the independent and non-partisan Wisconsin Technology Council. Drawing on a combination of public and private data.
The report noted continued improvement in key metrics related to Wisconsin’s Worker Compensation costs and effectiveness. The average cost of WC insurance per $100 of payroll in Wisconsin was $1.32 in 2020, compared with $1.72 in 2016, according to the National Academy of Social Insurance. The state Department of Workforce Development has charted recent figures that show most employers are paying less than in previous years for WC insurance, and workers are getting back to work faster.