DATE: October 22, 2008
TO: Patrick E. Fuller, Assembly Chief Clerk
Robert J. Marchant, Senate Chief Clerk
FROM: Robert N. Golden, MD, Dean, UWSMPH
Eileen Smith, Director, Wisconsin Partnership Program
Lisa Maroney, UW Health Legislative Liasion
SUBJECT: Wisconsin Partnership Program Annual Report
As you may recall, in 1999 Blue Cross & Blue Shield of WI (BC/BS) submitted an application to OCI to convert to a for‐profit entity and transfer the proceeds from the sale of the company to the two Wisconsin medical schools, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin. OCI approved this conversion and the distribution of the proceeds to the two schools. The proceeds were equally divided and each school received $297 million in March, 2004. The UW School of Medicine and Public Health created the Wisconsin Partnership Program to be responsible for the administration of the distribution and allocation of the annual income from the endowed funds.
A845
Attached is a link to the Wisconsin Partnership Program's 2007 Annual Report. In the past four years 167 grants have been awarded, totaling $61.7 million - with the singular purpose of improving the health of the people of Wisconsin. Grants have gone to local governmental and community organizations throughout the state on a wide array of public health topics, such as: fitness and nutrition, obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, oral health, maternal and child health, and access to health services.
If you would like to receive additional information, a hard copy of the report or past reports, or would be interested in meeting with us, please contact Lisa Maroney at 265‐1653.
Thank you for taking the time to review this report. We are privileged to have this unprecedented opportunity to partner with communities throughout Wisconsin on health improvement projects.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
October 29, 2008
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
We have completed a financial and compliance audit of the Wisconsin Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) Authority for the six‐month period ended December 31, 2006. This audit satisfies audit requirements under s.
13.94 (1)(dh), Wis. Stats. It also satisfies the HIRSP Authority's audit requirements under the federal Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, and U.S. Office of Management and Budget Circular A‐133. The six‐month period represents a transition as the financial reporting period was changed from a fiscal year basis to a calendar year basis. We have also issued a separate audit report (08‐12) on our audit of the HIRSP Authority for calendar year 2007.
The HIRSP Authority provides medical and prescription drug insurance for individuals who are unable to obtain coverage in the private market or who have lost employer‐sponsored group health insurance.
2005 Wisconsin Act 74 made significant changes to the operations of HIRSP. Among the most significant was the creation of the HIRSP Authority, which assumed oversight responsibility from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (currently the Department of Health Services) on July 1, 2006.
We have provided an unqualified opinion on the HIRSP Authority's financial statements. Our report also contains the auditor's reports on internal control over financial reporting and on compliance with program requirements, and our unqualified audit opinion on the HIRSP Authority's Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. Overall, the HIRSP Authority has complied with federal grant requirements.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the HIRSP Authority and the plan administrator.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
October 29, 2008
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
As required under s.
13.94(1)(dh), Wis. Stats., we have completed a financial and compliance audit of the Wisconsin Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) Authority for calendar year 2007. The audit also satisfies the HIRSP Authority's audit requirements under the federal Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, and U.S. Office of Management and Budget Circular A‐133. We have also issued a separate audit report (08-11) on our audit of the HIRSP Authority for the six‐month period ended December 31, 2006, which was a transition period as the financial reporting period changed from a fiscal year basis to a calendar year basis.
The HIRSP Authority provides medical and prescription drug insurance for individuals who are unable to obtain coverage in the private market or who have lost employer‐sponsored group health insurance.
2005 Wisconsin Act 74 made significant changes to the operations of HIRSP. Among the most significant was the creation of the HIRSP Authority, which assumed oversight responsibility from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (currently the Department of Health Services) on July 1, 2006.
We have provided an unqualified audit opinion on the HIRSP Authority's 2007 financial statements. Our report also contains the auditor's reports on internal control over financial reporting and on compliance with program requirements, and our unqualified audit opinion on the HIRSP Authority's Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. Overall, we did not identify any significant concerns, although we include a recommendation for the HIRSP Authority to work with the federal government to resolve a federal cash management issue.
The HIRSP Authority has maintained a sound financial position, with a net increase in assets of $6.8 million during 2007. Following years of significant increases during the early 2000s, policyholder enrollment has decreased in recent years. As of December 31, 2007, 17,126 policyholders were enrolled in one of the HIRSP Authority's plans.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the HIRSP Authority and the plan administrator.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
