If you have any questions regarding the Plan, please contact Marty Evanson, Director, Bureau of Supportive Housing, at (608) 267-2713.
Sincerely,
James O'Keefe, Administrator
Division of Business Development
Referred to committee on Housing.
__________________
A1017
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health Services
Madison
October 1, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
I am writing to report that, after three months in operation, BadgerCare Plus Basic is financially solvent and successfully meeting the health care needs of 3,500 Wisconsin residents. This letter and the attached statistics fulfill the Department's legislative reporting requirements for Basic under section 49.67 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
With the successful launch of BadgerCare Plus Basic on July 1, 2010, uninsured Wisconsin residents gained another option for health care access. Basic was created to provide an affordable coverage choice to those on the waitlist for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan. Core enrollment was capped in October 2009 due to limited federal funding. The Core waitlist was established at that time.
For $130 per month, Basic provides access to ten doctor's visits per year, a comprehensive generic drug benefit and one inpatient hospital stay and five outpatient hospital procedures before a hospital deductible is applied. Other professional medical services are also covered. Though the plan's benefits are very limited, Basic provides protection and peace of mind for those who have no other access to health insurance. Basic is self-funded, and state taxpayers pay nothing to support the program.
Per the specific reporting requirements identified in s.
49.67 (9g), claims payments for Basic totaled $803,957 through September 15, 2010. Premium revenue totaling $1,614,460 had been collected as of the same date. Additional reserve revenue of $1 million remains available to support Basic through the federal State Health Access Program (SHAP) grant administered by the Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA). In short, BadgerCare Plus Basic is completely solvent after its first three months of operation.
No changes to premiums, benefits, enrollee cost sharing or provider payment rates have been implemented since the program began on July 1, 2010. In August, DHS notified members already enrolled in Basic of opportunities to pay premiums in advance at a discounted rate. Advance payments reduce adverse selection by increasing member longevity in the plan. Beginning with the October 2010 benefit month, Basic members have options to pay a $360 quarterly premium, a $660 semi-annual premium or a $1,200 annual premium. More than 400 existing members (12%) opted to make an advance premium payment in September.
As of September 15, 3,503 people were enrolled in BadgerCare Plus Basic. Member demographic information, including age, gender and county of residence, is attached. Enrolling in Basic requires beginning an application for the BadgerCare Plus Core Plan online at access.wi.gov or by phone. That process involves reporting income and insurance information to determine if the applicant is eligible to be added to the Core waitlist. Since enrollment for Basic began, 542 potential Basic applicants were determined ineligible at the point of applying for the Core waitlist. Of the 542 applicants who did not qualify for Basic, 390 were not eligible due to having current insurance, insurance within the past 12 months or access to insurance. Eligible Basic members have no other insurance or access to insurance.
Once individuals have enrolled, the Basic verification process uses a variety of wage, income and insurance databases to verify the information members have reported. Disparities trigger DHS follow-up and potential disenrollment. As of September 15, DHS had determined 59 individuals ineligible for Basic due to other insurance.
The administrative portion of the Basic premium supports a full-time nurse case manager, whose duties focus on direct outreach to Basic members. The nurse has worked directly with more than 200 Basic members to coordinate their health care needs. Sixty-seven percent of Basic members reported their health condition as `good' in a telephone survey of 211 members conducted by the nurse case manager, 27% reported their health condition as `fair' and 6% as `poor.' Direct member contacts made by the nurse case manager have resulted in referrals to other programs for which Basic members may be eligible. To date, the nurse has referred 93 people to the Wisconsin Well Woman program and 27 members to apply for services under the Family Planning waiver.
In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the Department's amendment to the Core Plan waiver to create a waitlist bypass into Core for Basic members who have been diagnosed with cancer. The policy had been recommended by the Department's Clinical Advisory Committee on Health and Emerging Technology (CACHET) to enhance care to Basic members who had been screened for cancer under Basic, but faced restricted treatment options under Basic's benefit limitations. To date, 14 Basic members with cancer have been transitioned to the Core Plan.
Under Governor Doyle's leadership, Wisconsin now provides access to health care for 98% of the State's residents. BadgerCare Plus Basic has been a key part of this accomplishment.
Sincerely,
Karen E. Timberlake
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health and Healthcare Reform.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee
October 1, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Enclosed please find the Family Medicine Biennial Report of the Medical College of Wisconsin, prepared according to the statutory requirement under section 13.106. This report contains information in the following areas:
The financial status of the family practice residency sites.
A1018
The number of family practice residents choosing to practice in medically underserved areas of the state upon graduation.
The number of graduates entering family practice as a career.
Please feel free to contact me at (414-955-8217) if you have any questions or would like additional information.
Sincerely,
Kathryn A. Kuhn
Vice President, Government and Community Relations
Referred to committee on Colleges and Universities.
__________________
Supreme Court of Wisconsin
Director of State Courts
Madison
October 1, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Under ss.
758.19 (5)(e) and
758.19 (6)(d), Wis. Stats., each county is required to submit an annual report to the Director of State Courts which provides information on the actual amount of revenues collected and expenditures incurred by the county for the operation of its circuit courts. Pursuant to 758.19 (5)(i), Wis. Stats., the Director of State Courts is required to compile and annually submit the information to the Governor and the Legislature.
Questions regarding counties' reported financial information should be directed to the Court System Fiscal Officer Brian Lamprech. He can be reached at 608.266.6865 or at
brian.lamprech@wicourts.gov.
Sincerely,
A. John Voelker
Director of State Courts
Referred to committee on Children and Families.
__________________
TO: Assembly Chief Clerk Patrick Fuller
FROM: Donna Katen-Bahensky, President and CEO
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
DATE: October 1, 2010
RE: Report required under s.
233.04 (1)
Attached please find a copy of the UWHC report on patient care, education, research, community service activities and a draft audited financial statement required by state law.
Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or desire additional information.
Thank you.
Referred to committee on Health and Healthcare Reform.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
October 29, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002 (11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172 (3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of September 2010.
On September 21, 2010, the Medical Assistance Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $5.4 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through September 30, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $2.0 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On September 1, 2010, the Environmental Fund cash balance closed at a negative $1.2 million. This negative balance continued through September 30, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $16.3 million (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
The Medical Assistance Trust Fund and Environmental Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
Daniel J. Schooff
Secretary
Referred to committee on Ways and Means.
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
