Why It Matters

Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System Inc. is lobbying on rural healthcare’s most pressing challenge: the financial viability of rural hospitals. The organization faces dual threats. First, federal Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will eliminate insurance coverage for millions, reducing hospital revenue by up to $87 billion nationally over ten years—with rural areas hit hardest. Second, more than 100 rural hospitals have closed over the past decade, with over 700 at risk.

Marshfield’s strategy targets reimbursement reform, workforce development to address the physician shortage expected to last at least a decade, telehealth expansion, and leveraging the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program enacted this year. This matters because rural residents already travel twice as far for care—further hospital closures would deepen an access crisis affecting 40+ million Americans.

By the Numbers

Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System Inc. spent $60,000 on in-house lobbying in the last quarter of 2025, maintaining its strategy of internal advocacy. The organization has accumulated 116 total disclosures and spent $8.75 million over two decades—with $7.74 million handled in-house.

The sole lobbyist, Bradley Edward Wolters, has represented Marshfield since April 2019, filing 29 disclosures totaling $1.86 million. His background provides strategic advantage: six years of Senate experience, including roles with Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Tom Daschle, plus service as Legislative Aide on the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Marshfield’s priorities remain consistent: Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement appears in 108 historical disclosures, health issues in 89, and medical research in 55.

The Agenda

Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System Inc. is lobbying on Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement, rural health access, workforce development, telehealth expansion, and agricultural health—reflecting its geographic base in rural Wisconsin.

Multiple bills in the 119th Congress address Marshfield’s concerns:

Broader Context

Marshfield’s lobbying occurs amid an acute rural healthcare crisis. 48 percent of rural hospitals operated at financial loss in 2023, and rural areas will face physician shortages for at least the next dozen years.

Recent federal policy presents mixed signals. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes approximately $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts, but also created the Rural Health Transformation Program with $50 billion over five years.

Congress is responding with bipartisan action. Representatives Harshbarger and Schrier are pushing legislation to lift Medicare training caps, while Senators Hassan and Barrasso reintroduced the Rural Hospital Flexibility Act.

Between The Lines

The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee held a July 16, 2025 hearing on strengthening rural health, expanding workforce, and advancing telehealth—directly aligning with Marshfield’s agenda.

Bipartisan support is growing. Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Kim Schrier (D-WA) noted that only 10% of physicians practice in rural areas despite 20% of Americans living there. Additional bills like the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act and RNs for Rural Health Act address critical gaps in maternity care and nursing services.

Competitive Landscape

Marshfield Clinic joins other healthcare organizations lobbying on rural health:

The Bottom Line

Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System Inc. continues its two decades of advocacy on rural healthcare access and reimbursement. With the 119th Congress actively addressing these issues through bipartisan legislation like the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act, the legislative environment is receptive to rural health advocacy. However, recent Medicaid cuts complicate the financial outlook for rural providers, underscoring why organizations like Marshfield continue aggressive federal engagement.

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