To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Pursuant to Wisconsin Statute 234.93(5), enclosed please find the following reports relating to the Wisconsin Development Reserve Fund:
Annual Report of Guarantee Funds as of June 30, 2006.
Should you have any questions or comments on the reports, please feel free to call me at 266--640.
Sincerely,
Laura B. Morris
Chief Financial Officer
Referred to committee on Housing.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
August 25, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
In accordance with sec. 1.11(2)(j) Wis. Stats., the Department of Health and Family Services reports that it did not conduct any Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements during the reporting period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.
Sincerely,
Helene Nelson
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
August 10, 2006
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
At the request of the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), we have completed a financial audit of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) for fiscal year (FY) 2004-05. HIRSP provides medical and prescription drug insurance for almost 19,000 policyholders who are unable to obtain coverage in the private market or who have lost employer-sponsored group health insurance. We have provided an unqualified opinion on HIRSP's financial statements.
Enrollment has begun to moderate following years of double-digit increases. It increased 5.4 percent during FY 2004-05, then decreased slightly during FY 2005-06. However, net claims costs increased 25.5 percent during FY 2004-05, to a total $130.4 million. That size of increase was unexpected and contributed to a $7.1 million decrease in HIRSP's accounting balance, which showed a small deficit of $300,000 as of June 30, 2005. The deficit appears to have been addressed in FY 2005-06.
DHFS and HIRSP's Board of Governors increased the usual and customary discounts applied to medical bills for the period from January 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. However, we found another change to the discounts mistakenly was not implemented July 1, 2005. If uncorrected, this oversight would have materially affected HIRSP's financial statements for FY 2005-06, and corresponding funding levels. In May 2006, DHFS took steps to address this oversight.
2005 Wisconsin Act 74 made significant changes to HIRSP. Among the most significant is the creation of the HIRSP Authority, which assumed oversight responsibility from DHFS on July 1, 2006. Other significant changes include simplifying HIRSP's complex funding formula, providing increased flexibility for plan design, and establishing income tax credits for insurers that pay assessments for HIRSP. Under Act 74, the Audit Bureau will continue to conduct annual financial audits of HIRSP.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DHFS and the plan administrator for HIRSP.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
