SB81: Bill Text

LRB-2178/1

FFK:amn

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Senate BILL 81

March 2, 2017 - Introduced by Senators Craig, Kapenga, Lasee, Marklein, Nass, Stroebel, Vukmir and Wanggaard, cosponsored by Representatives Jacque, Tusler, Brandtjen, Allen, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Duchow, Edming, Horlacher, Hutton, Kleefisch, Kremer, Kulp, Loudenbeck, Murphy, Petersen, Petryk, Quinn, Sanfelippo, Schraa, Skowronski, Steffen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl and Wichgers. Referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing and Trade.

SB81,1,4 An Act to renumber 40.02 (1); to amend 40.03 (6) (a) and 40.03 (6) (b); and to create 40.02 (1d), 40.03 (6) (m) and 40.56 of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting the group insurance board from contracting for or providing abortion services.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Group Insurance Board offers health insurance coverage to eligible employees under the Wisconsin Retirement System, which include all state employees and state annuitants and may include local government employees if the local governmental unit elects to participate in a GIB health insurance plan. This bill prohibits GIB from entering into any contract with respect to a group health insurance plan or providing a group health insurance plan on a self-insured basis that provides abortion services, with certain exceptions.

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

SB81,1 Section 1. 40.02 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 40.02 (1m).

SB81,2 Section 2. 40.02 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:

SB81,1,7 40.02 (1d) “Abortion" has the meaning given in s. 253.10 (2) (a).

SB81,3 Section 3. 40.03 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB81,2,5 40.03 (6) (a) 1. Shall Except as provided in par. (m), shall, on behalf of the state, enter into a contract or contracts with one or more insurers authorized to transact insurance business in this state for the purpose of providing the group insurance plans provided for by this chapter; or

SB81,2,11 2. May Except as provided in par. (m), may, wholly or partially in lieu of subd. 1., on behalf of the state, provide any group insurance plan on a self-insured basis in which case the group insurance board shall approve a written description setting forth the terms and conditions of the plan, and may contract directly with providers of hospital, medical or ancillary services to provide insured employees with the benefits provided under this chapter.

SB81,4 Section 4. 40.03 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB81,2,19 40.03 (6) (b) May Except as provided in par. (m), may provide other group insurance plans for employees and their dependents and for annuitants and their dependents in addition to the group insurance plans specifically provided under this chapter. The terms of the group insurance under this paragraph shall be determined by contract, and shall provide that the employer is not liable for any obligations accruing from the operation of any group insurance plan under this paragraph except as agreed to by the employer.

SB81,5 Section 5. 40.03 (6) (m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB81,2,24 40.03 (6) (m) May not enter into, extend, modify, or renew any contract for a group insurance plan or provide a group insurance plan or other benefit on a self-insured basis that provides coverage or services for an abortion, the performance of which is ineligible for funding under s. 20.927.

SB81,6 Section 6. 40.56 of the statutes is created to read:

SB81,3,3 40.56 Abortion coverage prohibited. No abortion coverage or services, the performance of which is ineligible for funding under s. 20.927, may be provided in a health insurance plan or health care coverage plan offered under this subchapter.

SB81,7 Section 7. Initial applicability.

SB81,3,8 (1) The treatment of sections 40.02 (1) and (1d), 40.03 (6) (a), (b), and (m), and 40.56 of the statutes first applies to contracts for group health insurance plans that are entered into, extended, modified, or renewed on the effective date of this subsection.

SB81,3,9 (End)