49.015 (3) (b) After December 31, 1986, a general A relief agency may waive the requirement under sub. (1) (b) or (2) (a) (2) or (2m) in a medical emergency or in case of unusual misfortune or hardship. Each waiver shall be reported to the department. The department may deny reimbursement under s. 49.035 for any case in which a waiver is inappropriately granted make a determination as to the appropriateness of the waiver under rules promulgated by the department under s. 49.02 (7m) (d).
27,2681d
Section 2681d. 49.015 (3) (a) of the statutes is created to read:
49.015 (3) (a) A relief agency may waive the requirement under sub. (1) (a) for an individual receiving health care services from a trauma center that meets the criteria established by the American College of Surgeons for classification as a Level I trauma center. If the county waives the requirement under sub. (1) (a) for an individual, the county may seek reimbursement from the individual's county of residence if that county operates a program funded by a relief block grant.
27,2682
Section 2682
. 49.015 (4) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2683b
Section 2683b. 49.02 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (title) General relief Relief block grant administration.
27,2684b
Section 2684b. 49.02 (1) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (1) Eligibility for relief block grants. A county or tribal governing body is eligible to receive a relief block grant if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The county board or tribal governing body adopts a resolution applying for a relief block grant.
(b) The county or tribal governing body establishes written criteria to be used to determine dependency and reviews these written criteria at least annually.
(c) The county or tribal governing body submits to the department a plan for the provision of services to be funded by the relief block grant. The plan shall include all of the following:
1. How the county or tribal governing body will determine eligibility and how these eligibility determinations may be appealed. The procedures for determining eligibility and for notice, fair hearing and review shall be consistent with rules promulgated by the department under sub. (7m).
2. How the county or tribal governing body will determine which health care services are needed by a dependent person.
3. The cost containment mechanisms that will be used, including what limitations will be placed on the inappropriate use of emergency room care and what limitations will be placed on payments to providers contracted for under sub. (2).
4. In the case of a county submitting a plan for a relief block grant under s. 49.027, whether the county will provide services other than health care services and, if such services are offered, how the county will determine what services will be provided to a dependent person.
(d) The department has approved the plan under par. (c). The department shall approve or disapprove the plan within a reasonable period of time after the plan is submitted.
27,2685b
Section 2685b. 49.02 (1e) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (1e) Relief agencies. If a county or tribal governing agency is eligible to receive a relief block grant, the county or tribal governing body shall establish or designate a relief agency to administer relief under this section.
27,2686b
Section 2686b. 49.02 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (1m) Every county shall furnish general relief to all eligible dependent persons within the county and shall establish or designate a general relief agency to administer general relief. The general relief agency shall establish written criteria to be used to determine dependency and. Except for counties that make the election under s. 49.032 (2) (a), each county shall establish written standards of need to be used to determine the type and amount of general relief to be furnished. The general relief agency shall review the standards of need at least annually. The A general relief agency may establish work-seeking rules for general relief applicants and recipients.
27,2686c
Section 2686c. 49.02 (1m) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
27,2686d
Section 2686d. 49.02 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (2) Contracting with private health care providers. A relief agency may use a relief block grant to provide health care services directly or, if the conditions in this subsection are met, by contracting with private health care providers, or by a combination of contracting with private health care providers and providing services directly. A relief agency may contract with a private health care provider to provide health care services under this subsection only if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The relief agency enters into a contract with the private health care provider to provide specified health care services.
(b) The contract between the relief agency and the private health care provider provides that all records of the health care provider relating to the administration and provision of the health care services shall be open to inspection at all reasonable hours by authorized representatives of the county and the department.
(c) The contract between the relief agency and the private health care provider provides that any payments under s. 49.45 (6y) and (6z) made to the health care provider shall be used to offset the liability of the relief agency for the costs of the health care services provided under the contract.
(d) The contract limits payment for services under the contract to the amount payable by medical assistance for care for which a medical assistance rate exists.
(e) The contract does not provide for payment for hospitalization or care provided as uncompensated services required under 42 USC 291c.
(f) The contract prohibits the health care provider from holding an individual recipient of health care services funded under this section liable for the difference between the costs of the health care services and the amount paid to the health care provider by the county for the services.
27,2687b
Section 2687b. 49.02 (2r) of the statutes is renumbered 49.015 (1) (am) and amended to read:
49.015 (1) (am) A general relief agency may require the person who is receiving general relief to authorize The individual authorizes any program or resource for which he or she is determined to be eligible to reimburse the general relief agency for general relief benefits paid health care services provided to the person individual if the program or resource permits retroactive reimbursement for the period that general relief benefits were paid services provided.
27,2688b
Section 2688b. 49.02 (3) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
27,2688c
Section 2688c. 49.02 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (3) (a) A Except in counties that have elected not to provide nonmedical benefits under s. 49.032 (2) (a), a general relief agency may plainly print or stamp on each check issued as a general relief benefit payment words explaining that the check is valid for 60 days beginning on the date of issuance. The general relief agency may cancel any check that is not presented for payment within the 60-day period indicated on the check and, except as provided in par. (b), the person entitled to the check forfeits the right to the benefit payment. Section 49.037 (6) does not apply to the cancellation of a check under this paragraph.
27,2689
Section 2689
. 49.02 (4) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2690
Section 2690
. 49.02 (5) (title) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (5) (title) Liability for health care services.
27,2691b
Section 2691b. 49.02 (5) (am) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2692
Section 2692
. 49.02 (5) (ar) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2693
Section 2693
. 49.02 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (5) (b) A county relief agency is not liable for hospitalization or care health care services provided under par. (a) to a dependent person if the hospital provides the care or hospitalization health care services to the person as uncompensated services required under 42 USC 291c.
27,2694
Section 2694
. 49.02 (5) (bm) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:
49.02 (5) (bm) A relief agency shall limit its liability for health care services funded by a relief block grant to the amount payable by medical assistance under ss. 49.43 to 49.47 subch. IV for care for which a medical assistance rate exists.
27,2695
Section 2695
. 49.02 (5) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2696
Section 2696
. 49.02 (5) (cr) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2697
Section 2697
. 49.02 (5) (cw) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2698
Section 2698
. 49.02 (5) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2699
Section 2699
. 49.02 (5) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2700
Section 2700
. 49.02 (5) (g) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2701
Section 2701
. 49.02 (6) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2702
Section 2702
. 49.02 (6c) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2703b
Section 2703b. 49.02 (6g) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (6g) (title) Liability of recipients. No individual who receives treatment or hospitalization under sub. (5) health care services funded by a relief block grant may be liable for the difference between the costs of the treatment or hospitalization services charged by the health care provider and the amount paid by the general relief agency.
27,2704
Section 2704
. 49.02 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (6m) Notwithstanding ss. 49.002 (2) and 49.01 (5m), a general relief agency is not required to provide services described in s. 51.42 (3) (ar) 4.
27,2705b
Section 2705b. 49.02 (6m) of the statutes, as created by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
27,2706
Section 2706
. 49.02 (6r) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2708b
Section 2708b. 49.02 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (7) (title) Notification requirement. Whenever the authorities charged with the administration of this section have department or a relief agency has reason to believe that a person receiving relief is engaging in conduct or behavior prohibited in ch. 944 or ss. 940.225, 948.02, 948.025 or 948.06 to 948.11 they the department or relief agency shall promptly notify the law enforcement officials of the county thereof, including facts relating to such person's alleged misconduct or illegal behavior.
27,2709b
Section 2709b. 49.02 (7m) of the statutes is created to read:
49.02 (7m) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules regarding use of relief block grants. The rules shall include all of the following:
(a) Procedures that relief agencies shall follow in making eligibility determinations.
(b) Procedures for appealing eligibility determinations under s. 49.015. These procedures shall provide for notice, fair hearing and review.
(c) Procedures that relief agencies shall follow to obtain relief block grants under sub. (1).
(d) Standards for a waiver of any eligibility requirement under s. 49.015.
27,2710
Section 2710
. 49.02 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 49.015 (2m) and amended to read:
49.015 (2m) (title) Ineligibility due to medical assistance divestment. Any person found ineligible for medical assistance because of the divestment provisions under s. 49.453 is ineligible for medical care under this section relief funded by a relief block grant for the same period during which ineligibility exists under s. 49.453.
27,2711
Section 2711
. 49.02 (9) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2712b
Section 2712b. 49.02 (10) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 49.02 (5) (bm) and amended to read:
49.02 (5) (bm) Except as provided under par. (b), a county A relief agency shall limit its liability for medical or dental care furnished as general relief, including emergency care provided under sub. (5), health care services funded by a relief block grant to the amount payable by medical assistance under ss. 49.43 to 49.47 for care for which a medical assistance rate exists.
27,2713
Section 2713
. 49.02 (10) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2714
Section 2714
. 49.02 (10) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2715b
Section 2715b. 49.02 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.02 (11) (title) Department of transportation records. A general relief agency may use vehicle registration information from the department of transportation in determining eligibility for general relief.
27,2716
Section 2716
. 49.02 (12) of the statutes is repealed.
27,2716g
Section 2716g. 49.025 of the statutes is created to read:
49.025 Relief block grants to counties with a population of 500,000 or more; medical relief. (1) Applicability. This section applies only to a county having a population of 500,000 or more.
(2) Amount of relief block grant. (a) If a county is eligible to receive a relief block grant in a year, the department shall pay to the county, in accordance with s. 49.031, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (bt), an amount for that year determined as follows:
1. The department shall determine the lesser of the following:
a. For 1996, $17,600,000, and for each year thereafter, $16,600,000.
b. For any year, 45% of the total amount expended by the county in that year as relief for health care services provided to dependent persons.
2. The department shall subtract from the amount determined under subd. 1. amounts paid to hospitals in that county under s. 49.45 (6y) and (6z) in that year. If the amount determined under this subdivision is less than zero, the amount of the relief block grant is $0.
(b) In calculating the total amount expended by the county under par. (a), the department may exclude any amount expended as a result of a waiver determined to be inappropriate under rules promulgated by the department under s. 49.02 (7m) (d).
(3) Use of relief block grant funds. A county may use moneys received as a relief block grant only for the purpose of providing health care services to dependent persons.
27,2716m
Section 2716m. 49.027 of the statutes is created to read:
49.027 Relief block grants to counties having a population of less than 500,000; medical and nonmedical relief. (1) Applicability. This section applies only to a county having a population of less than 500,000.
(2) Amount of relief block grant. (a) If a county is eligible to receive a relief block grant in a year, the department shall pay to the county, in accordance with s. 49.031, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (bu), an amount for that year determined as follows:
1. The department shall calculate an amount as follows:
a. The department shall determine the total amount that the county was reimbursed under s. 49.035, 1993 stats., for general relief costs incurred in 1994.
