To committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
October
1
, 2009
To the Honorable, the Senate:
The following bill(s), originating in the Senate, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number Act Number
Date Approved
Senate Bill 185
Act 40
September 30
, 2009
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Reference Bureau
October
1
, 2009
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The following rules have been published in the September 30, 2009 Wisconsin Administrative Register No.645:
Clearinghouse Rules Effective Date(s)
07-08210-1-2009
08-02610-1-2009
08-11010-1-2009
09-01410-1-2009
09-02710-1-2009
Sincerely,
BRUCE J. HOESLY
Senior Legislative Attorney/Code Editor
__________________
Cooperative Health Choices
for Western Wisconsin
September 28, 2009
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Submitted in accordance with the statute referenced above, Cooperative Health Choices of Western Wisconsin (CHC) is pleased to report on its progress as a health benefit purchasing cooperative as follows:
(1) The extent to which the health benefit purchasing cooperative has had an impact on the number of uninsured in the geographic area in which it operated.
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CHC was officially launched in late 2008 with the filing of its Articles of Incorporation, adoption of By-Laws, and installation of an interim board of directors. OCI's Order that designated CHC's geographic service territory a a 17-county region in western, west central, and northwest Wisconsin was issued in early February 2009.
The duration of 2009 was spent further organizing and branding CHC across its service territory. This included a "real time" web-cast in mid-May and the issuance of a Request For Proposal (RFP) to major insurance carriers.
In mid-September 2009, CHC announced it had partnered with WPS Health Insurance. Both parties expect to commence coverage on November 1, 2009. Toward that end and going forward, CHC will be able to ascertain how many members of its cooperative were uninsured, but now are offering health insurance as a benefit.
(2) The effect of health care coverage premiums for groups in the geographic are in which the health benefit purchasing cooperative operated, including groups not in the health benefit purchasing cooperative.
Based on the historical time-line outlined above, CHC expects that its recent selection of WPS will have a positive impact on health care coverage premiums (i.e. lower, and therefore more attractive premiums from a consumer's standpoint) within the 17-county region CHC serves.
(3) The degree to which health care consumers were involved in the development and implementation of the health benefit purchasing cooperative.
Work commenced on evaluating the formation of a regional health benefit purchasing cooperative following a public workshop on this topic back in mid-April 2008. A small steering committee, comprised of 8-10 volunteers, was the forerunner of the formal launch of CHC. The committee was comprised of a small business owner, a retired executive from a rural utility cooperative, two chamber executives representing the expressed concerns of their respective members, the executive director of a non-profit economic development corporation, and three insurance brokers. Together, the committee explored proactive solutions to containing the cost of health insurance and expanding it as a benefit to business owners (and other eligible members of the cooperative) and workers. The committee's work was instrumental to the formation of Cooperative Health Choices of Western Wisconsin.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this annual summary, in the event of questions of comments, please feel free to contact the undersigned or Steven J. Healy, CHC's Interim president at 715-425-9447.
Sincerely,
william rubin
CHC Representative
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University of Wisconsin
Hospitals & Clinics
September 30, 2009
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Attached please find a copy of the UWHC report on patient care, education, and research, community service activities and an audited financial statement required by Wis. Stat. 233.04(1).
Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or desire additional information.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
donna katen-bahensky
President & CEO
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Relating to federal hazardous air pollutant regulations, biodiesel fuel, incorporation of statutory changes, and air permit applications and affecting small business.
Submitted by Department of Natural Resources.
Report received from Agency, September 29, 2009.
Referred to committee on Environment,
October 1, 2009
.
