AB549: Bill Text

LRB-1609/2

RLR:kmg:rs

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 549

October 2, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Friske, Ainsworth, Ladwig, Plouff, Albers, J. Lehman, Jeskewitz, Grothman, Musser, Ott, Freese, Krawczyk and LeMahieu, cosponsored by Senators Roessler, Brown, Reynolds, Breske and Lassa. Referred to Committee on Health.

AB549,1,2 An Act to create 49.45 (3) (m) of the statutes; relating to: Medical Assistance reimbursement for transportation by specialized medical vehicle.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, transportation by means of a specialized medical vehicle (SMV) to receive medical care is a covered Medical Assistance (MA) service for certain MA recipients.

All vehicles used to provide SMV services must meet requirements imposed by the Department of Transportation for human service vehicles (HSVs), which are vehicles that are used to transport people who have a disability or are elderly. The Department of Transportation requires special equipment for HSVs that are used to transport people who use wheelchairs. The Department of Health and Family Services requires that all vehicles used to provide SMV services under MA be specially equipped to accommodate a wheelchair.

This bill requires that, to be certified as an MA provider of SMV transportation, a provider have at least one vehicle that is equipped to accommodate a wheelchair.

Under the bill, if an MA-certified SMV provider uses two or more vehicles to provide SMV services, at least two of the vehicles must be equipped to accommodate a wheelchair and any third or additional vehicle must be a vehicle that can be converted to accommodate a wheelchair. The bill also provides that an MA-certified provider of SMV transportation may receive MA reimbursement for transporting a person in a vehicle that is not so equipped if the person does not use a wheelchair.

For further information see the state 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:

AB549, s. 1 Section 1. 49.45 (3) (m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB549,2,14 49.45 (3) (m) To be certified under sub. (2) (a) 11. to provide transportation by specialized medical vehicle, a person must have at least one human service vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (23g), that satisfies the requirements imposed under s. 110.05 for a vehicle that is used to transport a person in a wheelchair. If a certified provider uses 2 or more vehicles to provide specialized medical vehicle transportation services, at least 2 of the vehicles must be human service vehicles that satisfy the requirements imposed under s. 110.05 for a vehicle that is used to transport a person in a wheelchair, and any 3rd or additional vehicle must be a human service vehicle to which the equipment required under s. 110.05 for transporting a person in a wheelchair may be added. The department shall pay for transportation services by specialized medical vehicle under s. 49.46 (2) (b) 3. that are provided in a human service vehicle that is not equipped to transport a person in a wheelchair if the person being transported does not use a wheelchair.

AB549,2,15 (End)