AB481: Bill Text

LRB-0438/1

DAK:kmg&jlg:km

1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 481

August 21, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives M. Lehman, Wieckert, Jensen, Goetsch, Urban, Albers, Musser, Springer, Hahn, Plouff, Grothman, Seratti, Brandemuehl, Ott, Gunderson, Hasenohrl and Sykora, cosponsored by Senators Plache, Panzer, Rosenzweig, Roessler and Huelsman. Referred to Committee on Health.

AB481,1,5 An Act to repeal 146.89 (2) (a) 2. and 146.89 (3) (a) 1.; and to renumber and amend 146.89 (2) (a) 1. and 146.89 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes; relating to: eliminating requirements for approval by the joint committee on finance of certain applications for participation in the volunteer health care provider program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, under the volunteer health care provider program, licensed physicians, dentists, optometrists, registered nurses, practical nurses or nurse-midwives or certified physician assistants may, under certain circumstances, provide services without charge at certain nonprofit agencies. The health care providers may not receive income from the practice of their professions when providing services at the nonprofit agency; they are limited in the types of services that they may provide; and they must provide services to certain low-income, uninsured persons. These health care providers are state agents of the department of health and family services for the purposes of representation by the department of justice in any court actions arising from the health care services that they provide; limitation of amounts that are recoverable by civil suit against them and payment by the state of judgments against them in these suits. To participate in the volunteer health care provider program, the health care providers must submit jointly with the nonprofit agency an application to the department of administration (DOA). DOA is authorized to approve an application submitted for the provision of services in Brown, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Racine, Rock or Sheboygan county; and before approving the application, DOA is also authorized to send the application to the medical examining board for evaluation. For all other counties in the state, however, the application must first be approved by the joint committee on finance (JCF) before DOA may approve it. Approval by DOA is valid for one year and may be renewed.

This bill eliminates the requirement that applications for participation in the volunteer health care provider program that are submitted from counties other than Brown, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Racine, Rock or Sheboygan county be approved by JCF before DOA may approve them. Thus, under the bill, DOA is solely authorized to approve all applications for participation in the volunteer health care provider program.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB481, s. 1 Section 1. 146.89 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 146.89 (2) (a) and amended to read:

AB481,2,7 146.89 (2) (a) A volunteer health care provider may participate under this section only if he or she submits a joint application with a nonprofit agency in a county that is specified under sub. (3) (a) 1. to the department of administration and that department approves the application. The department of administration shall provide application forms for use under this subdivision paragraph.

AB481, s. 2 Section 2. 146.89 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB481, s. 3 Section 3. 146.89 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes is repealed.

AB481, s. 4 Section 4. 146.89 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes is renumbered 146.89 (3) (a) and amended to read:

AB481,3,2 146.89 (3) (a) The volunteer health care provider shall provide services under par. (b) without charge in any county, other than those counties specified in subd. 1., at the nonprofit agency, if the joint application of the volunteer health care provider and the nonprofit agency in that county has received approval under sub. (2) (a) 2.

AB481,3,3 (End)