Hundreds Of Jobs Created In Wausau Thanks To VA Reforms

A new federal law to speed up medical care for veterans is leading to the creation of hundreds of jobs in Wausau, since workers are needed to process health care claims under the new system.

WPS Health Insurance plans to add up to 280 new workers at its Wausau office. According to WPS Executive Vice President Brian Brugger, the hiring process is already under way.

“We are hiring approximately 100 jobs through the month of November, and then three to five months after that we could be hiring up to another 180 jobs,” said Brugger.

The insurance workers will process health care claims under the new Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, which was passed after complaints about long waits at some Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Brugger said the law helps both those who have been waiting more than 30 days for care, as well as those who were unable to get care because they lived far away from a medical center.

“Those veterans will be getting a choice card over the next 30 days that will allow them. with authorization from the VA, to receive care from civilian providers,” said Brugger.

Almost all of the 280 new jobs will be at the Wausau office. Brugger said that WPS will also fill a few information technology jobs in Madison to help process claims.