1. Rules adopted revising s. HFS 196.03 (22), relating to an exemption from regulation as a restaurant.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Health and Family Services finds that an emergency exists and that the adoption of the rules is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
The current Budget Act, 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, effective October 14, 1997, created s. 254.61 (5) (g), Stats., to exempt a concession stand at a “locally sponsored sporting event” from being regulated under ch. HFS 196 as a restaurant. Following enactment of the State Budget, the Department received several inquiries from its own region-based inspectors and local health departments serving as the Department's agents for enforcement of the Department's environmental sanitation rules, including rules for restaurants, about the meaning of “locally sponsored sporting event.” What did the term cover? Did it cover food stands at facilities of locally-owned sports franchises? Were these now to be exempt from regulation under the restaurant rules?
This rulemaking order adds the new exemption to the Department's rules for restaurants and, in this connection, defines both “locally sponsored sporting event” and “concession stand.” The order makes clear that the exemption refers only to concession stands at sporting events for youth, that is, for persons under 18 years of age. That interpretation is supported by the statutory phrase, “such as a little league game,” that follows the term, “locally sponsored sporting event,” in s. 254.61 (5) (g), Stats. The order further narrows the applicability of the exemption by building into the definitions the Department's understanding of who organizes or sponsors an exempt sporting event and on whose behalf a concession stand at the event is operated.
Although the Department's understanding of what “locally sponsored sporting event” should be taken to mean has been communicated to its field-based inspectors and agent local health departments, this is no more than an interpretive guideline, lacking the force of law, until the Department has set out that understanding in its rules for restaurants. Because the process for making the permanent rule change will take several months, the Department is publishing the rule change now by emergency order in the interests of protecting the public's health. The emergency rule order will ensure that, pending promulgation of the permanent rule change, there will be uniform statewide enforcement of the statute change that will prevent any local inspector from exempting from regulation food stands at locally sponsored sporting events for adults.
Publication Date:
March 14, 1998
Effective Date:
March 14, 1998
Expiration Date:
August, 11, 1998
Hearing Date:
May 11, 1998
[See Notice this Register]
2. Rules were adopted revising ch. HSS 138, relating to subsidized health insurance premiums for certain persons with HIV.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Health and Family Services finds that an emergency exists and that the adoption of the rules is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
Sections 252.16 and 252.17, Stats., direct the Department to operate a program that provides subsidies to cover the cost of health insurance premiums for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who, because of a medical condition resulting from that infection, must take an unpaid leave from their jobs or are unable to continue working or must reduce their hours of work. The Department has been operating this program since November 1990 under ch. HSS 138 rules.
This order revises ch. HSS 138 to incorporate changes made in the program by the current Budget Act, 1997 Wisconsin Act 27. Act 27 amended s. 252.16, Stats., to change the program in the following ways for individuals who are unable to continue working or who must reduce their hours of work:
The Department is directed to pay the premium costs for any health insurance coverage for an eligible individual, whether group coverage or an individual policy, and not only, as formerly, for continuation coverage under a group health plan if available to the individual.
Program participation is expanded from individuals in families with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty line to individuals in families with incomes up to 300% of the poverty line, but individuals in families with incomes between 201% and 300% of the federal poverty line are expected to contribute toward payment of the insurance premium.
The Department is directed to pay an individual's premiums for as long as the individual remains eligible for the program and not only, as formerly, for a maximum of 29 months.
The rule changes add rule definitions for dependent, individual health policy, Medicare, subsidy under s. 252.16, Stats., and subsidy under s. 252.17, Stats., and modify rule definitions for employe and group health plan; raise the maximum family income for eligibility for the program to 300% of the federal poverty line; permit an individual to be eligible if covered or eligible for coverage under either a group health plan or an individual health policy; delete the provision that prohibits Medicare-eligible individuals from participating in the program since a Medicare supplement policy is now considered a type of individual health policy; require eligible individuals whose family income exceeds 200% of the federal poverty line to contribute 3% of the annual policy premium toward payment of the premium; and delete the time limit of 29 months after which the Department's payments are to end.
All of the rule changes, except the changes to the definitions, apply only in the case of subsidies under s. 252.16, Stats., that is, for individuals who because of a medical condition related to HIV infection are unable to continue working or must reduce their hours of work.
The rule changes are being published by emergency order so that the program changes made by Act 27 can be implemented quickly for the benefit of persons with HIV infection who are newly eligible for the subsidy or for continuation of the subsidy. Act 27 was effective on October 14, 1997. Implementation of the statutory changes, which is expected to increase the caseload from 50 to about 300, depends upon rule changes. Following determination of what changes were needed in the rules, a statement of scope of proposed rules was published on November 15, 1997. After that the rulemaking order was drafted and decisions were made about language and the expected contribution of some eligible individuals toward payment of the annual premium. The proposed permanent rule changes were sent to the Legislative Council's Rules Clearinghouse for review on March 3, 1998, but because of the length of the permanent rulemaking process will not take effect until August 1, 1998 at the earliest. Earlier implementation of the statutory changes will allow some prospective program clients to maintain health insurance policies they otherwise could not afford. Not having the coverage could result in deterioration of their health.
Publication Date:
March 28, 1998
Effective Date:
March 28, 1998
Expiration Date:
August 25, 1998
Hearing Dates:
April 22 & 23, 1998
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT (3)
Insurance
1. A rule was adopted revising s. Ins 18.07 (5) (b), relating to a decrease in premium rates for the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP), effective January 1, 1998.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Pursuant to s. 619.14 (5) (e), Stats., the Commissioner is not required to make a finding of an emergency to promulgate this emergency rule.
Analysis Prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
January 1, 1998 Premium Adjustments
The Commissioner of Insurance, based on the recommendations of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (“HIRSP”) board, is required to set the annual premiums by rule. The rates must be calculated in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles. This rule adjusts the non-subsidized premium rates effective January 1, 1998. This change in rates will result in a reduction of approximately 14.5%, and is mandated by plan financing changes in 1997 Wis. Act 27.
Publication Date:
November 20, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
May 31, 1998
Hearing Date:
December 30, 1997
2. Rules were adopted amending s. Ins 18.07 (5) (b), published as an emergency rule relating to a decrease in premium rates for the health insurance risk-sharing plan under s. 18.07 (5) (b), and correcting errors in the published rate table.
January 1, 1998 Premium Adjustment Correction
The Commissioner of Insurance, based on the recommendation of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) board, is required to set the annual premiums by rule. The rates must be calculated in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles. An emergency rule, already promulgated and published, adjusts the non-subsidized premium rates effective January 1, 1998. This emergency amendment corrects 4 errors in the published rate table.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Pursuant to s. 619.14 (5)(e) Stats., the commissioner is not required to make a finding of an emergency to promulgate this emergency amendment to an emergency rule.
Publication Date:
December 12, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
May 31, 1998
3. Rules were adopted amending s. Ins 18.07 (intro.), (5) (a) and (5) (br) and creating s. Ins 18.07 (5) (bm), relating to the creation of a $2500 deductible alternative to the health insurance risk-sharing plan effective January 1, 1998.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Pursuant to s. 619.14 (5)(e), Stats., the commissioner is not required to make a finding of an emergency to promulgate this emergency rule.
Analysis Prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Statutory authority: ss. 227.24, 601.41 (3), 619.11, 619.14 (5)(a) and (e), 619.17 (2) and 619.146
Statutes interpreted: s. 619.146
January 1, 1998 health insurance risk sharing plan with $2500 deductible.
This change is mandated by 1997 Wis. Act 27 which created s. 619.146, Stats. This section requires that an alternative major medical expense coverage plan be offered with a $2500 deductible as described in section 2744 (a) (1) (C) of P.L. 104-191. Under s. 619.146 (2) (a) premium reductions do not apply to this alternative plan. Section 619.146 (2) (b) prescribes how the rates for the alternative plan are to be determined. Since the alternative plan is required by law to be offered by January 1, 1998 this emergency rule sets out the rates for that plan.
Publication Date:
December 31, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
May 31, 1998
Hearing Date:
May 15, 1998
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT (3)
Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
1. A rule was adopted revising s. NR 45.10 (3) and (4), relating to reservations on state parks, forests and other public lands and waters under the Department's jurisdiction.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
1997 Wis. Act 27, section 9137 (1) authorizes the department to promulgate these rules without a finding of emergency under s. 227.24, Stats.
Summary of Rules:
1. Creates a process for accepting telephone reservations for department camp sites.
2. Establishes time frame for making reservations.
Publication Date:
December 15, 1997
Effective Date:
April 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
April 1, 1999
Hearing Date:
January 12, 1998
2. Rules adopted creating ch. NR 47, subch. VIII, relating to the forest fire protection grant program.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Under Section 9137 (10x) of 1997 WIs. Act 27, the Department is not required to make a finding of emergency for these rules.
Publication Date:
February 16, 1998
Effective Date:
February 16, 1998
Expiration Date:
July 15, 1998
Hearing Date:
March 13, 1998
3. Rules adopted creating ch. NR 47, subch. VII, relating to the private forest landowner grant program.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Under Section 9137 (10n) of 1997 Wis. Act 27, the Department is not required to make a finding of emergency for these rules.
Publication Date:
February 20, 1998
Effective Date:
February 20, 1998
Expiration Date:
July 19, 1998
Hearing Date:
March 13, 1998
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT
Natural Resources
(Environmental Protection-General,
Chs. NR 100-)
Rules adopted creating ch. NR 166, relating to the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program.
