Vogel Bros. Building Co.: Hickory Hill Academy Expands to Offer Enhanced Educational Opportunities

MADISON, WIS. – Hickory Hill Academy is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its highly anticipated new building expansion. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, which took place Tuesday, September 19, 2023, marked a significant milestone for the school. The expansion, designed to provide a more comprehensive educational environment, adds an impressive 50,000 square feet of cutting-edge facilities.

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New WPS Health Insurance network helps self-funded employers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

New WPS Health Insurance network helps self-funded employers
Companies across Wisconsin now have a more robust network choice

MADISON, Wis.—Sept. 19, 2023—WPS Health Insurance, powered by Auxiant, is partnering with Health Payment Systems (HPS) to create an integrated network of health care providers for employers choosing its self-funded, or Administrative Services Only, group health plans. Group members’ claims will access the HPS network of providers first and, if not in-network, will then go to the WPS Statewide Network, creating a statewide broad network solution.

The HPS Network includes 96 hospitals and 27,000 individual providers while the WPS Statewide Network has 165 hospitals and more than 63,000 individual practitioners. These networks will work together to give employers across Wisconsin even more health care provider choices for their employees.

The new partnership includes HPS’ consumer financing tool, the PayMedix SuperEOB^®. Members who visit an in-network PayMedix provider get credit up to their out-of-pocket (OOP) maximum, regardless of credit history, with the option to pay over time without any interest charges or fees.

“This new network choice gives our self-funded group health customers a better way to meet the needs of their employees and their families,” WPS Vice President of Health Insurance Economics and Business Development Jeremy Ott said. “Our customers will have access to a broad network of health care providers and to the patient financing PayMedix brings. Adding HPS/PayMedix to our network makes getting health care easier for our customers.”

“’We look forward to working with WPS to bring a more cost-effective, statewide health plan that can save employers and their employees money,” HPS/PayMedix CEO Tom Policelli said. “In addition, including the PayMedix consumer engagement and patient financing solution for HPS providers ensures patients aren’t avoiding care due to cost.”

The new HPS Network paired with the WPS Statewide Network will be available to select self-funded group health plan customers for the 2024 plan year.

About WPS Health Insurance^®

As one of the largest health benefits providers in the state, Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Insurance) offers a variety of services and coverage with Preferred Provider Organization health plans for individuals, fully insured and self-funded group health plans for employers, and Medicare supplement insurance plans. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, and with employees throughout the state, WPS Health Insurance is deeply committed to Wisconsin and its residents. Visit wpshealth.com for more information.

About Auxiant

Auxiant is an independent third-party administrator with more than 200 full-time employees and offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Madison, Wis., and Milwaukee, Wis. Auxiant has been in business since 1982 and is dedicated to providing its clients with the best possible service. Auxiant specializes in customization, cost control, health management, and technological tools for self-funded clients and members. Auxiant is known for its innovation and technology, constantly evolving to meet the needs of its clients.

About Health Payment Systems, Inc.

Health Payment Systems (HPS) is a privately held PPO network in the state of Wisconsin. HPS is the parent company to PayMedix, an EOB consolidation tool that serves all contracted providers and enrolled members. The PayMedix single-statement billing helps families combat confusing and unaffordable medical bills, while its guaranteed payment model eliminates provider collection costs and risk. HPS is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To learn more, visit Health Payment Systems.

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One City Schools to Open Child Care Center for its Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For comments or more information, contact:
Kaleem Caire
Founder and CEO
Email: kcaire@onecityschools.org
Mobile Phone: (202) 997-3198

Gail Wiseman
Chief Operating Officer/External Relations
Email: gwiseman@onecityschools.org
Mobile Phone: (608) 514-6119

One City Schools to Open Child Care Center for its Staff
The center will offer affordable childcare for infants and toddlers for One City Staff

Madison, WI (Thursday, September 14, 2023) – Today, One City Schools announced that it will begin offering affordable on-site child care for children of its employees beginning in October 2023. One City will pilot its new staff-only center this school year at its Pleasant T. Rowland Leadership Campus located at 1707 W. Broadway in Monona, Wisconsin. The new Gail and Gordon Derzon Early Care Center will enroll children ages 6 months to one year old. Children who are two, three and four years old with parents that work for One City can already enroll in One City’s preschool which serves children from across Dane County. The project is made possible through a $100,000 grant from the Roots & Wings Foundation, a leading funder of child and family wellbeing in Dane County.

One City founder and CEO, Kaleem Caire, shared his organization’s reasons for offering expanded child care specifically focused on its staff. “Each year, we have team members who bring beautiful new children into the world but are unable to find available and/or affordable care for their infants and toddlers. We operate a highly sought-after 5-star preschool with an outstanding, stable and experienced staff. We decided it would benefit our staff, their children, our three schools and the 400 children we teach to offer on-site child care for infants and toddlers. Doing so will enable teachers and staff to keep working and teaching with us while also giving them peace of mind that their children are being well cared for.”

Caire added, “We are deeply grateful for the tremendous and timely support of the Roots & Wings Foundation. We appreciate what they are doing to expand access to high quality early learning opportunities in Wisconsin. It also feels great that we are able to extend child care opportunities to our staff, and provide it at a rate they can afford.”

Bryce Pickett, One City’s Executive Director of Early Education, said One City will open its center next month with one lead teacher, an assistant teacher and six infants and toddlers. The funding provided by Roots & Wings will enable One City to hire staff and purchase equipment and materials to set up the center. One City currently offers all staff a 25% discount on tuition at its preschool for their first child and 10% for their second child. With the 25% discount, One City staff will pay $255 per week for infant care and $240 per week for one-year-olds. Tuition payments, along with the Roots & Wings investment, will cover the full cost of operating the new center.

Pickett said, “As with everything we do at One City Schools, we hope to be an example for other employers and educational institutions who would like to offer the same benefit for their employees. We share everything that we do at One City so others can learn with us and from us. We look forward to sharing how this works with our colleagues and other schools across the country.”

One City’s new infant and toddler center is named after Gail and Gordon Derzon, two longtime and strong supporters of One City Schools. Both are lifelong supporters of early childhood and K-12 education, college access, and health equity in Wisconsin and internationally. Gordon Derzon served for 26 notable years as the president and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics. Mr. Derzon has also served on the Board of Directors of One City Schools since 2016.

Click here to download a copy of this press release.

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AwardsMall / Total Awards & Promotions, Inc.: Nationwide Trophy Recycling Program Fundraiser on October 7

The Nationwide Trophy Recycling Program is having a fundraiser on Saturday, October 7, 2023. 

They will have hundreds of trophies for sale. Prices range from $3 to $125.

The funds support the operating costs of the recycling program to ensure sustainability.

The program keeps trophies from the landfills while giving them FREE to nonprofits nationwide.

A wide range of trophies from vintage to modern day and all sizes are available.

The fundraiser is from 9 AM to 1 PM at 6670 Odana Road in Market Square, Madison.

MSCR to celebrate Active Aging Month with a variety of free activities!

September 14, 2023

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nicole Graper, MSCR Marketing Specialist, at ngraper@madison.k12.wi.us or 608-204-3017

MSCR to Celebrate Active Aging Month with a variety of free activities!
Adults 50+ and better are invited to join MSCR for enrichment, fitness and wellness workshops this October.

Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) is celebrating Active Aging Month with a variety of free activities and challenges on October 1-29. Adults, ages 50 and better, are invited to try a new activity, meet people and stay active by participating in more than 30 activities at several MSCR locations.

Activities include Ask the Trainer, Coloring for Relaxation, Chair One Dance Fitness, Nature Walk, Shopping & Preventing Identity Theft, TRX Yoga and more. Registration opens Monday, September 18 at 12pm at mscr.org. Participants have the option to earn raffle tickets for prizes by completing daily activities.

According to Mindy Vinje, MSCR 50+ Fitness & Wellness Specialist, “The goal of Active Aging Month is to demonstrate that individuals over 50 can thrive in all aspects of life, including physical, social, spiritual and emotional, regardless of age or health status. The month-long event at MSCR provides free opportunities to wellness activities and exercise programs for older adults, with the goal of showcasing age-friendly wellness programs and promoting a positive message of aging.”

In addition to this year’s Active Aging festivities, MSCR is holding a special celebration for caregivers on October 30 & 31. These free workshops are tailor made with caregivers’ needs in mind.

The complete schedule for all these events is available at mscr.org.

MSCR is Madison’s public recreation department and offers a variety of recreation programs for all ages. Please go to mscr.org for more information or call 608-204-3000.

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