July 31, 2001 Conference Room 638 A
Tuesday State Office Building
1:00 p.m.
1 West Wilson Street
Madison WI
The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. Parking for people with disabilities is available in the parking lot behind the building or in the Doty Street Parking Ramp. People with disabilities may enter the building directly from the parking lot at the west end of the building or from Wilson Street through the side entrance at the east end of the building.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Health and Family Services
The State of Wisconsin in 1981 established a Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) for the purpose of making health insurance coverage available to medically uninsured residents of the state. One type of medical coverage provided by HIRSP is the Major Medical Plan. This type of coverage is called Plan 1. Eighty-six percent of the 10,790 HIRSP policies in effect in March 2001 were of the Plan 1 type. Plan 1 has Option A ($1,000 deductible) or Option B ($2,500 deductible). The average premium rate increase for Plan 1 contained in these updated HIRSP rules is 3.4%. Rate increases for specific policyholders range from 0.0% to 4.9%, depending on a policyholder's age, gender, household income, deductible and zone of residence within Wisconsin. According to state law, HIRSP premiums must fund 60% of plan costs and cannot be less than 150% of the amount an individual would be charged for a comparable policy in the private market.
A second type of coverage provided by HIRSP is supplemental coverage for persons eligible for Medicare. This type of coverage is called Plan 2. Plan 2 has a $500 deductible. Fourteen percent of the 10,790 HIRSP policies in effect in March 2001 were of the Plan 2 type. The average premium rate increase for Plan 2 contained in these updated HIRSP rules is 3.4%. Rate increases for specific policyholders range from 0.0% to 4.9%, depending on a policyholder's age, gender, household income, deductible and zone of residence within Wisconsin. These respective rate increases for Plan 1 and Plan 2 reflect industry-wide cost increases and adjust premiums to a level that more accurately reflects actual claim costs.
The department through these rules is amending two sections of the HIRSP program administrative rules:
1.
The rules are updating HIRSP premium rates in ch.
HFS 119 in accordance with the authority and requirements set out in s.
149.143 (3) (a), Stats. The Department is required to set premium rates by rule. Rates must be calculated in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles. Policyholders are to pay 60% of the costs of HIRSP. The HIRSP premium rate tables in ch.
HFS 119 are updated in accordance with these principles and requirements for the time-period beginning July 1, 2001.
2.
The rules are also updating the total HIRSP insurer assessments and provider payment rates in accordance with the authority and requirements set out in s.
149.143 (2) (a) 3. and
4., Stats. With the approval of the HIRSP Board of Governors and as required by statute, the Department of Health and Family Services approved a methodology that reconciles HIRSP program costs, policyholder premiums, insurance assessments and collected health care provider contributions for the most recent calendar year. The adjustments to the insurer assessments and the provider payment rates, contained in the updated HIRSP administrative rules for the time-period beginning July 1, 2001, are the result of this reconciliation process for calendar year 2000.
Identical HIRSP emergency rules will be published to take effect on July 1, 2001.
Contact Person
To find out more about the hearing or to request a copy of the proposed rules, write or phone:
Randy McElhose
Division of Health Care Financing
P.O. Box 309, Room B274
Madison, WI 53701-0309
(608) 267-7127 or, if you are hearing impaired, (608) 266-1511 (TTY)
If you are hearing or visually impaired, do not speak English, or have other personal circumstances which might make communication at the hearing difficult and if you, therefore, require an interpreter, or a non-English, large-print or taped version of the hearing document, contact the person at the address or phone number above. A person requesting a non-English or sign language interpreter should make that request at least 10 days before the hearing. With less than 10 days notice, an interpreter may not be available.
Written comments on the proposed rule received at the above address no later than August 7, 2001 will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.
Fiscal Estimate
These rules update HIRSP policyholder premium rates effective July 1, 2001. They also update HIRSP insurer assessments and provider payment rates for the 12-month period beginning July 1, 2001. These updates are being performed to reflect changing HIRSP costs, and in accordance with a statute-specified methodology, in order to offset program costs. Annual fiscal updates to the HIRSP rules generally take effect in July each year. The fiscal updates contained in these rules were developed by an independent actuarial firm and reviewed and approved by the HIRSP Board of Governors. By law, the Board is a diverse body composed of consumers, insurers, health care providers, small business and other affected parties.
It is estimated that the proposed changes will increase HIRSP program revenues by $21,016,500 in State Fiscal Year 2002, compared to State Fiscal Year 2001. This amount is the combined result of an increase of $9,719,414 in insurer assessments, an increased adjustment (levy) of $9,862,542 regarding provider payments, and an increase of $1,434,544 in policyholder premiums. This increase in HIRSP program revenue is expected to pay for a corresponding increase in HIRSP program expenditures for the payment of services, provided in State Fiscal Year 2002. As a result, the net fiscal effect is projected to be zero. These rule changes will not, by themselves, affect the expenditures or revenues of local government. There is no local government involvement in the administration of HIRSP.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
The rule changes will affect HIRSP policyholders, the Department of Health and Family Services and the Department's fiscal agent. The rule changes will not affect small businesses as “small business" is defined in s.
227.114 (1) (a), Stats. Although the program statutes and rules provide for assessment of insurers to help finance HIRSP, no assessed insurer is a small business as defined in s.
227.114 (1) (a), Stats. Moreover, s.
149.143, Stats., prescribes how the amount of an insurer's assessment to help finance HIRSP is to be determined and, similarly, how the health care provider payment rate is to be calculated.
Notice of Hearing
Higher Educational Aids Board
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to s.
39.395, Stats, the Higher Educational Aids Board will hold a public hearing to consider the creation of ch.
HEA 13, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the administration of the Teacher Education Loan Program.
The Public Hearing will be held:
Date and Time Location
July 20, 2001 Senate Hearing Room #201SE
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
The hearing is fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Analysis Prepared by the Higher Educational Aids Board
The
1997 Wisconsin Act 27 created s.
39.395, which provides for loans to Wisconsin residents enrolled in the teacher education program of the Milwaukee Teacher Education Center (MTEC). The Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) administers this program under s.
39.395. These would be the final administrative rules for this program. The student who receives the award must agree to teach in the Wisconsin school district operating under Chapter
119 of the Wisconsin State Statutes, First Class School System. For each year the student teaches in an eligible school district, 50% of the loan is forgiven. If the student does not teach in an eligible district, the loan must be repaid at an interest rate of 5%. There are provisions for a maximum and minimum award amount, an application process, loan forgiveness, terms of repayment, and deferment of loan repayment for borrowers. The proposed administrative rules will not affect expenditures of State funds for the Teacher Education Loan Program.
Statutory Authority
Fiscal Estimate
The proposed rules cause no alterations in the present allocation of funds so there is no fiscal impact.
Contact Person
To find out more about the hearing or request copies of the proposed rules, write, call or e-mail:
Jim Buske
Higher Educational Aids Board
131 West Wilson Street, P.O. Box 7885
Madison, WI 53707-7885
608) 267-9865
Written Comments on the proposed rules received at the above address no later than July 13, 2001 will be given the same consideration as testimony present at the hearing.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
The proposed rules concern a student financial aid program and have no affect upon small business in Wisconsin.
Notice of Hearing
Higher Educational Aids Board
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to s.
20.005, Stats, the Higher Educational Aids Board will hold a public hearing to consider the creation of ch.
HEA 14, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the administration of the Teacher of the Visually Impaired Loan Program.
The Public Hearing will be held:
Date and Time Location
July 20, 2001 Senate Hearing Room #201SE
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
The hearing is fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Analysis Prepared by the Higher Educational Aids Board
The
1997 Wisconsin Act 27 created s.
20.005, which provides for loans to Wisconsin residents enrolled in an in-state or eligible out-of-state institution in a program that prepares them to be licensed as teachers of the visually impaired or orientation and mobility instructors. The Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board administers this program under s.
20.005. These would be the final administrative rules for this program. The student who receives the award must agree to be a licensed teacher of the visually impaired or an orientation and mobility instructor in a designated school or school district. For each of the first two years the student teaches and meets the eligibility criteria 25% of the loan is forgiven. For the third year, 50% is forgiven. If the student does not teach and/or meet the eligibility criteria, the loan must be repaid. There are provisions for an application process, loan forgiveness, terms or repayment and deferment of loan repayment. The proposed administrative rules will not affect expenditures of State funds for the Teacher of the Visually Impaired Loan Program.
Statutory Authority
Fiscal Estimate
The proposed rules cause no alterations in the present allocation of funds so there is no fiscal impact.
Contact Person
To find out more about the hearing or request copies of the proposed rules, write, call or e-mail:
Jim Buske
Higher Educational Aids Board
131 West Wilson Street, P.O. Box 7885
Madison, WI 53707-7885
(608) 267-9865
Written Comments on the proposed rules received at the above address no later than July 13, 2001 will be given the same consideration as testimony present at the hearing.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
The proposed rules concern a student financial aid program and have no affect upon small business in Wisconsin.
Notice of Hearing
Commissioner of Insurance
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the authority granted under s.
601.41 (3), Stats., and the procedure set forth in under s.
227.18, Stats., OCI will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of the attached proposed rulemaking order affecting s.
Ins 6.59, relating to revising Wisconsin agent licensing rules to be reciprocal and more uniform under Gramm Leach Bliley Act and the NAIC Producer model.
Hearing Date, Time and Location
Date: July 25, 2001
Time: 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be reached
Place: Room 6, OCI, 121 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI
Written comments on the proposed rule will be accepted into the record and receive the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing if they are received at OCI within 14 days following the date of the hearing. Written comments should be addressed to: Robert Luck, OCI, PO Box 7873, Madison WI 53707
Analysis Prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
