SB419: Bill Text

LRB-4592/1

ISR:cmh:km

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Senate BILL 419

March 1, 2000 - Introduced by Senators Moore, George, Rosenzweig and Darling, cosponsored by Representatives Riley, Gunderson, Berceau, Gronemus, Cullen, Young, Bock, Kreuser, La Fave and Sinicki. Referred to Committee on Human Services and Aging.

SB419,1,6 An Act to amend 49.45 (2) (a) 3.; and to create 49.32 (13) of the statutes; relating to: providing a person who determines medical assistance eligibility with access to the records of an applicant for medical assistance and requiring the departments of health and family services and work force development to develop a plan to modify the client assistance for reemployment and economic data support system.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the department of health and family services (DHFS) administers the medical assistance (MA) program, which finances necessary health care services for qualified persons whose financial resources are inadequate to provide for their health care needs. DHFS is required to determine the eligibility of persons for the MA program and may assign this duty to county departments of human services or social services.

Currently, the department of workforce development (DWD) administers the client assistance for reemployment and economic support (CARES) computer system. The CARES system uses data supplied by an applicant for public assistance benefits to determine an applicant's eligibility for MA, Wisconsin works, food stamps and child care programs, to issue public assistance benefits and to track program participation.

This bill authorizes a person who determines eligibility for MA, other than a person located in a DHFS office or county department of human services or of social services, to review and update the existing records of any MA applicant who is seeking an MA eligibility determination from the person, regardless of whether the individual's case is assigned to the person. This bill also requires DWD to provide a person who determines MA eligibility with access to the CARES system so that the person may review and update an applicant's records on the CARES system.

Finally, this bill requires DHFS and DWD to jointly develop a plan to modify the CARES system so that the system may be used to determine an applicant's eligibility for a particular public assistance benefit independently of the applicant's eligibility for other public assistance benefits. DHFS and DWD must submit the plan to the joint committee on finance no later than September 1, 2000.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB419, s. 1 Section 1. 49.32 (13) of the statutes is created to read:

SB419,2,8 49.32 (13) Client assistance for reemployment and economic support data system. The department shall permit a person who determines eligibility for medical assistance under s. 49.45 (2) (a) 3. to access the client assistance for reemployment and economic support data system for the purpose of reviewing and updating information on the existing records of an individual who is seeking from the person an eligibility determination for medical assistance, regardless of whether the individual's case is assigned to the person.

SB419, s. 2 Section 2. 49.45 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB419,3,5 49.45 (2) (a) 3. Determine the eligibility of persons for medical assistance, rehabilitative and social services under ss. 49.46, 49.468 and 49.47 and rules and policies adopted by the department and may designate this function to the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 or, to the extent permitted by federal law or a waiver from federal secretary of health and human services, to a Wisconsin works agency. Any person who determines eligibility for medical assistance under this subdivision in a location other than in an office of the department or of a county department of human services or of social services may review and update information on existing records of an individual who is seeking from that person an eligibility determination for medical assistance, regardless of whether the individual's case is assigned to the person.

SB419, s. 3 Section 3. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB419,3,13 (1) Client assistance for reemployment and economic support data system. The departments of health and family services and workforce development shall jointly develop a plan to modify the client assistance for reemployment and economic support data system so that the system may be used to determine an individual's eligibility for any public assistance program independently of the individual's eligibility for any other public assistance program. The departments shall submit their plan to the joint committee on finance not later than September 1, 2000.

SB419,3,14 (End)