Sections 250, 250m and 279 [as it relates to qualifying coverage definition] include provisions on high cost-share benefit plans that are linked to a tax-preferred savings plan for payment of medical expenses, which are often referred to as medical savings accounts. Under AB591, portability of coverage and guaranteed acceptance rights would be limited for MSAs under certain circumstances. If a person has had a MSA within 60 days of the effective date of his or her new job's health care coverage, and that new coverage includes a choice between a MSA and group health coverage, and the employee chooses to switch to a group health care plan, portability of coverage and guaranteed acceptance rights are not available. I am exercising the partial veto in these sections to remove any reference to high cost-share benefit plans that are linked to a tax-preferred savings plan for payment of medical expenses, including the portability and guaranteed acceptance restrictions for several reasons. First, tax-exempt MSAs have not yet been created at either the federal or state level. AB591 does not create MSAs either; it only provided for a limit on MSA portability and guaranteed acceptance in the event that other legislation is passed that creates the MSAs. I have been involved in discussions at the federal level on this issue and it is not clear to me that the federal legislation creating MSAs will pass in the near future. Furthermore, the state Legislature is currently debating a bill (AB545) that would create MSAs in Wisconsin. Any limits on the portability or guaranteed acceptance of MSAs should be included with the legislation that actually creates the MSAs. I do not believe it is appropriate to retain this language in the statutes in anticipation of the passage of a MSA bill.
I believe that these partial vetoes make a good piece of legislation even better. We can now move forward to implement this pathbreaking welfare reform measure.
Sincerely,
Tommy G. Thompson
Governor
__________________
Communications
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
Madison
To Whom It May Concern:
Acts, Joint Resolutions and Resolutions deposited in this office have been numbered and published as follows:
Bill Number Act Number Publication Date
Assembly Bill 188214April 30, 1996
Assembly Bill 491217April 30, 1996
Assembly Bill 451218April 30, 1996
Assembly Bill 685219April 30, 1996
Assembly Bill 183228May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 238229May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 511230May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 532231May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 544232May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 642233May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 644234May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 811235May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 836236May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 955237May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 1028237May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 841249May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 579250May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 344251May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 40252May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 570253May 2, 1996
Assembly Bill 690254May 2, 1996
Sincerely,
Douglas La Follette
Secretary of State
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Revisor of Statutes Bureau
Madison
May 1, 1996
Charles R. Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
Donna Doyle
Senate Chief Clerk's Office
The following rules have been published:
Sincerely,
Gary L. Poulson
Deputy Revisor
__________________
A1097
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Madison
February 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Pursuant to section 153.10(1), Wis. Stats., we are pleased to submit to the Governor and to the Legislature the sixth annual Health Care Data Report. This report is based on hospital inpatient discharge data reported to the Office of Health Care Information by all operating general medical-surgical and specialty hospitals in Wisconsin from January through December 1994. It also contains selected ambulatory surgery utilization and charge data from general medical-surgical hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers in Wisconsin during the same period.
This report fulfills the statutory requirement to report "in a manner that permits comparisons among hospitals ... the charges for up to 100 health care services or diagnostic-related groups selected by the office.
Sincerely,
josephine W. musser
Commissioner of Insurance
Trudy A. Karlson, Ph.d.
Director
Office of Health Care Information
Referred to committee on Health.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
Madison
March 1, 1996
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Wisconsin School Laws included the following provision in Section
115.45(6)(b) &
(c):
Section 115.45 Grants for preschool to grade 5 programs.
(6) The state superintendent shall:
(b) By March 1, 1986, and annually thereafter, submit to the joint committee on finance and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.13.172(3), a budget report detailing the grants he or she intends to award under this section in the next fiscal year. The report shall provide summary data on the results of the annual testing required under sub.(4)(b) and include a description of the guidelines used to determine the individual schools and private service providers that will receive funds under this section and the types of expenditures eligible for such funds.
(c)Annually submit to the legislature under s.13.172(2) a report on the academic progress made by pupils enrolled in preschool to grade 5 programs under this sections.
This is to inform you that all Preschool to grade 5 Evaluation Reports are contained herein. A report on the academic progress for all schools for all schools funded by the Preschool to Grade 5 Program Grant is also enclosed.
Sincerely,
John T. Benson
State Superintendent
Referred to committee on Education.
__________________
DATE: March 11, 1996
TO: Charles R. Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
FROM: Katharine C. Lyall, President
The University of Wisconsin System
RE: Report pursuant to s.
36.11(22)(b),
Wis.
Stats.
At its meeting March 8, 1996, the Board of Regents accepted the attached report for submission to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172(3).
Section
36.11(22)(b),
Wis. Stats., requires the Board of Regents to submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the Legislature annually on the methods each UW System institution used to disseminate information to students on sexual assault and sexual harassment.
