SB599: Bill Text

SB599,32,3 (8) Review criteria. The commission shall use the following criteria in review ing each application under this section, plus any additional criteria that it develops by rule. The commission shall consider cost containment as its first priority in apply ing these criteria, and shall consider the recommendations and comments of affected parties. The commission may not approve any project under this section unless the applicant demonstrates all of the following:

SB599,32,4 (a) The project is consistent with the state health services plan under sub. (16).

SB599,32,5 (b) A need for the project, as determined by current and projected utilization.

SB599,32,8 (c) The project would efficiently and economically use resources, including fi nancing for capital investment and operating expenses, when measured against al ternative uses of resources.

SB599,32,9 (d) Sufficient cash reserves and cash flow to pay operating and capital costs.

SB599,32,13 (e) Increases in operating and capital costs resulting from the project are rea sonable, including the direct charge to the consumer and the charges to be paid by medical assistance and by disability insurers. The commission shall determine the effect on these rates of the applicant's project for review under this paragraph.

SB599,32,14 (f) Financing is available at market rates.

SB599,32,15 (g) Health care personnel are available and would be effectively used.

SB599,32,16 (h) Proposed construction costs are consistent with industry averages.

SB599,32,18 (j) Any proposed addition of area and construction or renovation alternatives are cost-effective.

SB599,32,19 (k) The project is consistent with efficiency standards and criteria.

SB599,32,24 (L) The applicant is participating in a utilization review program that is appli cable to a statistical sampling of all hospital patients regardless of payment source, that requires public disclosure of all review data in a form useful to the commission but protects the identities of individual patients and health care professionals and that is conducted by persons who are free from any substantial conflict of interest.

SB599,33,2 (m) The applicant has prepared a plan acceptable to the commission for the pro vision of health care to indigents.

SB599,33,7 (9) Review process. (a) The commission shall hold a public meeting upon the request of an affected party to review projects seeking approval, at which all affected parties may present testimony. The commission may consider projects seeking ap proval that are within a related area at joint public meetings. The commission shall keep minutes or other record of testimony presented at the public meeting.

SB599,33,17 (b) The commission shall issue an initial finding to approve or reject the project within 75 days after the date that it publishes its notice under sub. (7) (a), unless all applicants consent to an extension of this period. The commission may not require substantial modification of any project as a condition of approval without the appli cant's consent. The commission may extend by 60 days the review cycle of all projects being reviewed concurrently under sub. (7) (b), if it finds that completing the reviews within 75 days after the date it publishes its notice under sub. (7) (a) is not practicable due to the volume of applications received. The commission shall submit its decision to the applicant. Unless the applicant makes a timely request for a hearing under par. (c), the commission's initial finding under this paragraph is its final action.

SB599,33,23 (c) 1. Any applicant whose project is rejected may request a public hearing to review the commission's initial finding under par. (b), if the request is submitted in writing within 10 days after the commission's decision, or may initiate a hearing un der s. 227.42. The commission shall commence the hearing under par. (b) within 30 days after receiving a timely request, unless all parties consent to an extension of this period.

SB599,34,3 2. Except as provided in s. 227.42, ss. 227.43 to 227.50 do not apply to hearings under this paragraph. The commission shall promulgate rules to establish all of the following:

SB599,34,4 a. Procedures for scheduling hearings under this paragraph.

SB599,34,7 b. Procedures for conducting hearings under this paragraph, including meth ods of presenting arguments, cross-examination of witnesses and submission of ex hibits.

SB599,34,9 c. Procedures following the completion of a hearing under this paragraph, in cluding the establishment of time limits for issuance of a decision.

SB599,34,11 d. Standards relating to ex parte communication in hearings under this para graph.

SB599,34,12 e. Procedures for reconsideration and rehearing.

SB599,34,13 3. The commission shall issue all decisions in writing.

SB599,34,17 4. Each applicant at any hearing under this paragraph has the burden of prov ing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the commission's initial finding was con trary to the weight of the evidence on the record when considered as a whole, arbi trary and capricious or contrary to law.

SB599,34,21 (10) Judicial review. Any applicant adversely affected by a decision of the com mission under sub. (9) (c) may petition for judicial review of the decision under s. 227.52. The scope of judicial review shall be as provided in s. 227.57 and the record before the reviewing court shall consist of all of the following:

SB599,34,23 (a) The application and all supporting material received prior to the commis sion's initial finding under sub. (9) (b).

SB599,34,24 (b) The record of the public meeting under sub. (9) (a).

SB599,35,2 (c) The commission's analysis of the project and its compliance with the criteria specified in sub. (8).

SB599,35,3 (d) The record of the hearing held under sub. (9) (c).

SB599,35,4 (e) The commission's decision and analysis issued under sub. (9) (b) or (c) 3.

SB599,35,7 (11) Validity and contents of an approval. (a) An approval is valid for one year from the date of issuance. The commission may grant a single extension of up to 6 months.

SB599,35,9 (b) The commission shall specify the maximum expenditure that may be obli gated for a project.

SB599,35,14 (c) Each approval shall include the proposed timetable for implementing and completing the project and, for the 3-year period following completion of the project, the project's depreciation and interest schedule, staff required for the project, the proposed per diem rate needed to pay capital costs and the proposed per diem rate needed to pay operating costs.

SB599,35,20 (12) Rate approval. Rate reimbursement to cover the cost of the project estab lished for medical assistance under s. 49.45 (3) (e) may not exceed the rates proposed in the approval under sub. (11) (c) by more than 5% during the 3-year period follow ing completion of the project. This subsection does not apply if the hospital demon strates to the satisfaction of the commission that the excess was due to conditions beyond its control.

SB599,36,2 (13) Capital budget reporting. Each hospital shall annually, by January 1, beginning January 1, 1997, report to the commission a proposed capital budget for the 5-year period that begins with July 1, 1997. This budget shall specify all antici pated capital expenditures subject to this section and anticipated application dates, if any. This requirement does not apply to the purchase or other acquisitions of a hos pital under sub. (1) (d). An application under sub. (5) from a hospital to approve a project is not complete until the commission receives this information.

SB599,36,3 (14) Rule making. The commission shall promulgate all of the following rules:

SB599,36,4 (a) Establishing review requirements under sub. (7) (b).

SB599,36,5 (b) Establishing procedures and standards under sub. (9) (c) 2.

SB599,36,7 (c) Establishing a method for defining an acute care service area under sub. (16) (b).

SB599,36,8 (d) Establishing appropriate fees for applications, as specified in sub. (6).

SB599,36,11 (15) Enforcement. (a) No person may recover through charges or rates any depreciation, interest or principal payments or any operating expenses associated with a project subject to this section that does not have the commission's approval.

SB599,36,14 (b) 1. If a project whose cost falls below the minimum threshold specified in sub. (1) (a), (b) or (c) incurs costs exceeding the threshold, the person who operates the project shall submit an application for the commission's approval under sub. (1).

SB599,36,17 2. If a project that has received the commission's approval incurs a cost overrun, the person who operates the project shall submit another application for the commis sion's approval under sub. (1).

SB599,36,18 (c) No person may subdivide a project to avoid the requirements of this section.

SB599,36,25 (d) The commission's approval of any project is revoked if the capital expendi tures specified in the approval have not been obligated, if financing in an amount suf ficient to complete the project has not been obtained or if substantial and continuing progress has not been undertaken within the period specified in the approval. In addition, the commission's approval of any project is revoked if the person who oper ates a project misses any other deadlines specified in the approval and fails to make a good faith effort to meet these deadlines.

SB599,37,4 (e) The commission may reject the application for approval of a project operated by any person who has repeatedly been subject to the penalties specified in this sub section or may impose restrictions as part of its approval to ensure compliance with this section.

SB599,37,10 (16) State health services plan. (a) The commission shall adopt a state health services plan using information provided by the office of health care information in the office of the commissioner of insurance, at least once every 3 years that includes a description of the hospital system in the state and identifies health care needs and surpluses with respect to existing health care services, facilities and equipment and other components the commission finds useful.

SB599,37,15 (b) The commission may not accept any application for a project under this sec tion for the addition of hospital beds that would exceed the number of beds described by the state health services plan for the acute care service area where the project would be located. The commission shall establish its method for defining an acute care service area by rule.

SB599, s. 14 Section 14. 632.75 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB599,37,20 632.75 (5) Payments for hospital services. No insurer may reimburse a hospi tal for patient health care costs at a rate exceeding the rate established under ch. 54, 1985 stats., or s. 146.60, 1983 stats., for care provided prior to July 1, 1987 subch. II of ch. 196.

SB599, s. 15 Section 15 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB599,37,22 (1)   Public service commission; hospital rate setting.

SB599,38,2 (a)  By September 1, 1996, the public service commission shall submit, under section 16.515 of the statutes, a request to supplement the appropriation under sec tion 20.155 (3) (gm) of the statutes, as created by this act, that details a proposed bud get for activities of the public service commission under subchapter II of chapter 196 of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB599,38,6 (b)   1. The public service commission shall submit proposed rules required un der section 196.993 of the statutes, as created by this act, to the legislative council staff for review under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than January 1, 1997. These rules may not take effect before July 1, 1997.

SB599,38,14 2. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the public service commission shall promulgate rules required under section 196.993 (2) of the stat utes, as created by this act, for the period prior to the effective date of the rules sub mitted under subdivision 1., but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a) and (2) (b) of the statutes, the public service commission need not provide evidence of the necessity of preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare in promulgat ing the rules under this paragraph.

SB599,38,16 (c)  By January 1, 1997, the public service commission shall do all of the follow ing:

SB599,38,19 1. Estimate the total amount of revenue required for fiscal year 1996-97 for ad ministration by the commission of subchapter II of chapter 196 of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB599,39,2 2. Assess the estimated total amount under subdivision 1. to hospitals, as de fined in section 150.01 (12) of the statutes, under the rates established by rule under paragraph (b) 2. and in proportion to each hospital's respective net income, as de fined in section 196.9996 (1) (e) of the statutes, as created by this act, during the hos pital's most recently concluded entire fiscal year, except that the public service com mission may not assess a hospital that has a net income of 3% or less over the net income for the hospital's next most recently concluded entire fiscal year.

SB599,39,4 3. Credit all payments of assessments to the appropriation under section 20.155 (3) (gm) of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB599,39,6 (d)  Every hospital that is assessed under paragraph (c) 2. shall, by April 1, 1997, pay the entire amount assessed the hospital.

SB599, s. 16 Section 16. Initial applicability.

SB599,39,10 (1)  Public service commission; hospital rate setting. This act first applies to requests for rate changes submitted under subchapter II of chapter 196 of the stat utes, as created by this act, on July 1, 1997.

SB599, s. 17 Section 17. Effective dates. This act takes effect on July 1, 1996, or on the day after publication, whichever is later, except as follows:

SB599,39,14 (1)  Hospital rate setting. The repeal of section 20.155 (3) (a) of the statutes takes effect on January 1, 1998.

SB599,39,15 (End)