The committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care reports and recommends:
Relating to definitions, microdermabrasion, chemical skin peels, managers, ear piercing, waxing, nail enhancement, licensing requirements, and reinstatement of license.
No action taken.
Carol Roessler
Chairperson
The committee on Natural Resources and Transportation reports and recommends:
Relating to CDL exemptions.
No action taken.
Neal Kedzie
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Joint Legislative Council
August 10, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is a copy of the
General Report of the Joint Legislative Council to the 2005-06 Legislature, prepared and submitted pursuant to s.
13.81 (3), Stats.
I would appreciate your noting in the
Senate Journal, pursuant to s.
13.172, Stats., that this report has been delivered to your office.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Terry C. Anderson
Director
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
August 10, 2006
The Honorable, The Legislature:
At the request of the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), we have completed a financial audit of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) for fiscal year (FY) 2004-05. HIRSP provides medical and prescription drug insurance for almost 19,000 policyholders who are unable to obtain coverage in the private market or who have lost employer-sponsored group health insurance. We have provided an unqualified opinion on HIRSP's financial statements.
S910
Enrollment has begun to moderate following years of double-digit increases. It increased 5.4 percent during FY 2004-05, then decreased slightly during FY 2005-06. However, net claims costs increased 25.5 percent during FY 2004-05, to a total $130.4 million. That size of increase was unexpected and contributed to a $7.1 million decrease in HIRSP's accounting balance, which showed a small deficit of $300,000 as of June 30, 2005. The deficit appears to have been addressed in FY 2005-06.
DHFS and HIRSP's Board of Governors increased the usual and customary discounts applied to medical bills for the period from January 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. However, we found another change to the discounts mistakenly was not implemented July 1, 2005. If uncorrected, this oversight would have materially affected HIRSP's financial statements for FY 2005-06, and corresponding funding levels. In May 2006, DHFS took steps to address this oversight.
2005 Wisconsin Act 74 made significant changes to HIRSP. Among the most significant is the creation of the HIRSP Authority, which assumed oversight responsibility from DHFS on July 1, 2006. Other significant changes include simplifying HIRSP's complex funding formula, providing increased flexibility for plan design, and establishing income tax credits for insurers that pay assessments for HIRSP. Under Act 74, the Audit Bureau will continue to conduct annual financial audits of HIRSP.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DHFS and the plan administrator for HIRSP.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
August 15, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2005-2006 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Bender, David Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter
Boyer, Amy Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc
Essie, Patrick Association of Settlement Companies
Franken, Andrew Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc
Mathewson, Judith Wisconsin Energy Corporation
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
R. Roth Judd
Executive Director
