A battle is underway in Wisconsin over whether pandemic relief funds can be diverted to increase Medicaid reimbursements to long-term care providers.

Gov. Tony Evers recently proposed using $258 million in pandemic relief to increase Medicaid reimbursements for long-term care providers, a move previously blocked by a Republican budget-writing committee, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

Evers’ plan represents one of the few statewide efforts to address the crisis in long-term care, exacerbated by low Medicaid reimbursement rates that have led to workforce shortages and facility closures.

Currently, Medicaid reimbursements factor in wages of $13 an hour, while actual pay ranges from $17 to $20 an hour, contributing to the industry’s struggles, the story notes.

This proposal highlights ongoing tensions between Evers, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled Legislature over spending authority.

A recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling granted Evers more flexibility, but upcoming votes on two constitutional amendments as early as Tuesday could further shift power to the Legislature by restricting the governor’s ability to allocate emergency federal funds without legislative approval.