The projected shortfall in Wisconsin's Medicaid programs serving the poor, elderly and disabled through plans like BadgerCare has improved by more than $300 million, Gov. Scott Walker's administration said in a letter released Tuesday.

According to data by SurePayrolls Small Business Owner Optimism Survey, 50 percent of small business owners say they plan to hire in 2012, and 56 percent expect to raise pay for some or all employees while only 2 percent say they anticipate cutting wages.

The newly launched IHT World LLC was created in an effort to counter the high costs of health care by offering custom packages for employer self-funded plans and using medical tourism and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to help businesses cut their health care costs.

The number of people seeking unemployment aid rose last week for the first time in a month. But the rise comes after weekly claims fell to their lowest level in three and a half years in the previous week, and the overall downward trend suggests hiring could accelerate soon.