Sincerely,
F. Scott Scepaniak
Administrator
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
May 31, 2001
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Enclosed is a copy of the Child Abuse and Neglect Report, with data from the calendar year 1999, pursuant to s.
48.981. The report includes a statistical analysis of suspected child abuse and neglect reports received and investigated by county child protective services agencies and the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare in 1999. This report also contains information on child fatalities due to child abuse or neglect.
Sincerely,
Phyllis J. Dube
Secretary
Referred to committee on Children and Families.
__________________
Agency Reports
Southeast Wisconsin
Professional Baseball Park District
Milwaukee
May 17, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Enclosed please find the Miller Park Monthly Progress Report for the month of April 2001 for your review and consideration. As the enclosed report indicates, Miller Park is essentially complete, and has clearly achieved the District Board's objectives of building the premier baseball facility in the country; available for play on Opening Day 2001; within budget; and with meaningful community participation.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions or comments regarding the enclosed report.
Very truly yours,
Michael R. Duckett, P.E., R.l.s.
Executive Director
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
June 5, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As required by s.
13.94 (1)(de), Wis. Stats., we have completed a financial audit of the Patients Compensation Fund, which insures health care providers in Wisconsin against medical malpractice claims that exceed the primary malpractice insurance thresholds established in statutes. The Fund is governed by a Board of Governors and administered by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. In fiscal year 1999-2000, 11,809 health care providers participated in the Fund. We have provided an unqualified auditor's report on the Fund's financial statements for fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, 1999, and 1998.
Past audit reports discussed concerns regarding the Fund's accounting deficit. Action by the Board of Governors and the Legislature and recent favorable claims experience have contributed to a significant improvement in the Fund's financial position, which showed an accounting surplus of $27.2 million as of June 30, 2000. To address concerns being raised about actuarial estimates that affect the Fund's financial position, and to promote broader acceptance of the actuarial analyses and related decisions, we include a recommendation that a comprehensive review of the consulting actuary's methods and assumptions be performed by an independent actuary.
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Further, the Fund needs to take additional steps to ensure that all health care providers are obtaining primary insurance coverage as required by statutes. Our testing disclosed several instances in which providers had not obtained the primary malpractice coverage required by statutes. These uninsured providers could be held liable for up to $1 million in settlements or judgements per claim if any malpractice claims were resolved against them.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the staff of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and the contractors who assist in administering the Patients Compensation Fund program.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
Representative Vrakas moved that the Assembly stand adjourned until 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, June 7.
The question was: Shall the Assembly stand adjourned?
Motion carried.
The Assembly stood adjourned.
2:01 P.M.
