The hearing sites are fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Health and Family Services
The proposed rules that are the subjects of these hearings generally update chs. HFS 110 and HFS 112, rules for licensing ambulance service providers, emergency medical technicians-basic (EMTs-basic) and emergency medical technicians-paramedic. The updating is being done on the recommendation of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Board under s. 146.58, Stats., which is advisory to the Department. The rules are amended to incorporate current medical practices and update training requirements and to clarify, correct and improve rule language based on experience with the rules in effect since 1996.
The updating of ch. HFS 110 has involved modifying some current definitions and creating new definitions to reflect current practice; merging defibrillation and non-visualized advanced airways language, currently in separate sections of ch. HFS 110, into the body of the chapter; deleting or modifying some language based on experience in implementing the current rules; and renumbering some of the rules to accommodate the changes and to organize this chapter in a way similar to the other chapters of Emergency Medical Services Program rules. The updating also deletes the option of someone trained in first aid being eligible for an EMT-basic training permit and adds renewal requirements for instructor-coordinators. The entire subsection on defibrillation equipment in the current rules has been deleted because defibrillators are no longer such novelties that they need to be described in such detail.
The proposed ch. HFS 112 rulemaking order modifies ch. HFS 112, Wis. Adm. Code, to reflect changes in the practice of emergency medical services since the chapter was last revised. These changes result from extensive discussions with EMS advisory bodies and other interested parties. Significant changes to the chapter include use of the term “interfacility" to distinguish between facilities and prehospital 911 care; clarification regarding the term “medical director;" raising the minimum number of hours required for EMT-paramedic coursework from 750 to 1000; and the addition of flexibility for using fewer than 2 paramedics in certain circumstances. The updating also adds renewal requirements for instructor-coordinators and increases authority for a medical director to remove medical authority for an EMT to practice if there are concerns about the EMT's training, skills, ability or judgment.
Contact Person
To find out more about the hearings or to request a copy of either proposed rulemaking order, write or call:
Bev Jensen
Division of Public Health
Bureau of EMS and Injury Prevention
P.O. Box 2659
Madison, WI 53701-2659
(608) 266-1568 or,
if you are hearing impaired,
(608) 266-1511 (TDD)
If you are hearing or visually impaired, do not speak English, or have circumstances which might make communication at a hearing difficult, and if you, therefore, require an interpreter, or a non-English, large print or taped version of the hearing document, contact the person at the address or phone number above. A person requesting a non-English or sign language interpreter should make that request at least 10 days before a hearing. With less than 10 days notice, an interpreter may not be available.
Written comments on either proposed rulemaking order received at the above address no later than July 7, 2000 will receive the same consideration as testimony presented at a hearing.
Fiscal Estimate
There are no additional funds associated with the rule changes. A copy of the full fiscal estimate may be obtained from Bev Jensen who may be contacted via the contact information provided in this notice.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
These rules will affect about 25 ambulance services that may be classified as “small businesses" as defined in s. 227.114 (1) (a), Stats. None of the rule changes require the acquisition of additional equipment or result in additional personnel expenses.
Notice of Hearings
Health & Family Services
(Health, Chs. HFS 110-)
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to ss. 153.75 (1) and 227.11 (2) (a), Stats., the Department of Health and Family Services will hold public hearings to consider the proposed repeal and recreation of ch. HFS 120, relating to the collection, analysis and dissemination of health care information.
Hearing Information
June 16, 2000 Lower Level Meeting Room
Friday Brown County Library
Beginning at 9 a.m. 515 Pine Street
GREEN BAY, WI
June 19, 2000 Bascom Room
Monday Best Western-Inntowner
Beginning at 9 a.m. 2424 University Avenue
MADISON, WI
June 22, 2000 Room 120
Thursday State Office Building
Beginning at 9 a.m. 141 NW Barstow Street
WAUKESHA, WI
June 23, 2000 City Council Chambers
Friday La Crosse City Hall
Beginning at 9 a.m. 400 La Crosse Street
LA CROSSE, WI
The hearing sites are accessible to people with disabilities.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Health & Family Services
The Department of Health and Family Services is responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating a variety of health care data pursuant to ch. 153, Stats. 1997 Wis. Act 231 and 1999 Wis. Act 9 substantially modified ch. 153, Stats. Consequently, the Department is proposing to revise ch. HFS 120 to those recent statutory changes.
Chapter HFS 120, as it currently exists, primarily addresses the collection and analysis of data from hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. 1997 Wis. Act 231 directed the Department to collect claims data and other health care information from health care providers besides hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers, including from physicians in their offices and clinics. In response to the statutory changes, the proposed rules specify the other providers from whom data will be collected, the data elements to be collected and the manner in which data will be disseminated, and extend to these other providers instructions for data verification and review and comment that apply now only to hospitals and freestanding ambulatory service centers. The rules also provide for assessing a fee from the other providers from whom data are collected for the costs of collection, database development and maintenance, generation of data files and standard reports, orientation and training and the expenses of the Board of Health Care Information.
Other changes that are being proposed for ch. HFS 120 to implement the Act 231 changes to ch. 153, Stats., include the following:
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A waiver process and standards by which a health care provider could, upon request, obtain an exemption from data submission requirements that are burdensome.
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A manner of assessing a fee on health care plans that voluntarily supply health care data to the Department is specified. The assessment fee covers the costs of collection, database development and maintenance and generation of public use data files and standard reports for the health care plans.
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Rules have been added to govern the release of all health care provider-specific and employer-specific information collected. The current rules have only a procedure for releasing physician-specific data.
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Methods have been specified for adjusting health care information for case mix and severity.
Several provisions have been repealed, including definitions of uniform patient billing form, charge element and uncompensated health care services; the requirement that hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers use uniform patient billing forms; the requirement that hospitals submit financial data; Board responsibility to determine whether to contract for provision of data processing services for the Department; the requirement that a hospital hold a public hearing before raising its rates; the production by the Department of quarterly and annual reports for the public; certain procedures for data review and verification; and assessment language specific to free standing ambulatory surgery centers.
1999 Wis. Act 9, the biennial Budget Bill, further modified ch. 153, Stats., insofar as it:
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Established additional constraints on the type of physician data that can be released in public use data files.
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Established additional required means of masking the identification of specific patients, employers and health care providers.
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Established the requirement that compilation and release of custom-designed reports with nonaggregated age, zip code or physician identifiers based on physician data be subject to the review and approval of the independent review board.
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Prohibited the Department's sale or distribution of physician data that can be linked with public use data files without the approval of the independent review board.
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Established a separate set of data elements collected from physicians that constitutes “patient-identifiable data."
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Requires the Department to develop and use a data use agreement.
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Requires that purchasers of data sign and have notarized Department data use agreements.
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Prohibits employers from requesting the release of or access to patient-identifiable data.
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Prohibits the Department from requiring physicians to submit uniform patient billing forms.
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Prohibits physicians from submitting a variety of data to the Department.
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Establishes immunity from civil liability for health care providers that mistakenly submit data to the Department in a manner that results in the release of prohibited data elements.
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Increases by 30-50% the penalties for violation of selected statutory provisions related to confidential data.
The rule-making order that is the subject of these public hearings proposes to revise ch. HFS 120 to respond to these major changes to ch. 153, Stats., made by 1997 Wis. Act 231 and 1999 Wis. Act 9.
Contact Person
To find out more about the hearing or to request a copy of the rules, write or phone:
Gary L. Radloff
Bureau of Health Information
Division of Health Care Financing
P.O. Box 7984
Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7984
(608) 267-0245 or,
if you are hearing impaired,
(608) 261-7798 (TDD)
