AB155,22,2423 (e) "Health benefit plan" does not include any of the following if offered as a
24separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance:
AB155,23,2
11. Medicare supplemental health insurance as defined under section 1882 (g)
2(1) of the federal Social Security Act.
AB155,23,432. Coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under 10 USC ch. 55
4(Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)).
AB155,23,65 3. Similar coverage supplemental to coverage provided under a group health
6plan.
AB155,23,13 7(5) "Health carrier" or "carrier" means an entity subject to the insurance laws
8and rules of this state, or subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner, that
9contracts or offers to contract to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse
10any of the costs of health care services, including a sickness and accident insurance
11company, a health maintenance organization, a nonprofit hospital and health service
12corporation, or any other entity providing a plan of health insurance, health benefits,
13or health services.
AB155,23,15 14(5m) "Minimum essential coverage" has the meaning given in 26 USC 5000A
15(f) (1).
AB155,23,17 16(6) "Qualified dental plan" means a limited scope dental plan that has been
17certified in accordance with s. 636.42 (5).
AB155,23,21 18(7) "Qualified employer" means a small employer that elects to make its
19full-time employees eligible for one or more qualified health plans offered through
20the SHOP Exchange and, at the option of the employer, some or all of its part-time
21employees, provided that the employer satisfies any of the following:
AB155,23,2422 (a) The employer has its principal place of business in this state and elects to
23provide coverage through the SHOP Exchange to all of its eligible employees,
24wherever employed.
AB155,24,2
1(b) The employer elects to provide coverage through the SHOP Exchange to all
2of its eligible employees who are principally employed in this state.
AB155,24,5 3(8) "Qualified health plan" means a health benefit plan that has in effect a
4certification that the plan meets the criteria for certification described in section
51311 (c) of the federal act and s. 636.42.
AB155,24,7 6(9) "Qualified individual" means an individual, including a minor, who satisfies
7all of the following:
AB155,24,98 (a) The individual is seeking to enroll in a qualified health plan offered to
9individuals through the exchange under subch. II.
AB155,24,1010 (b) The individual resides in this state.
AB155,24,1211 (c) At the time of enrollment, the individual is not incarcerated in a correctional
12facility, other than incarceration pending the disposition of charges.
AB155,24,1513 (d) The individual is, and is reasonably expected to be for the entire period for
14which enrollment is sought, a citizen or national of the United States or an alien
15lawfully present in the United States.
AB155,24,17 16(10) "Secretary" means the secretary of the federal department of health and
17human services.
AB155,24,19 18(11) "SHOP Exchange" means a small business health options program
19established under s. 636.30 (1) (q).
AB155,24,21 20(12) (a) "Small employer" means an employer that employed an average of not
21more than 100 employees during the preceding calendar year.
AB155,24,2222 (b) For purposes of this subsection, all of the following apply:
AB155,24,24231. All persons treated as a single employer under section 414 (b), (c), (m), or (o)
24of the Internal Revenue Code shall be treated as a single employer.
AB155,25,2
12. An employer and any predecessor employer shall be treated as a single
2employer.
AB155,25,43 3. All employees shall be counted, including part-time employees and
4employees who are not eligible for coverage through the employer.
AB155,25,85 4. If an employer was not in existence during the entire preceding calendar
6year, the determination of whether that employer is a small employer shall be based
7on the average number of employees that it is reasonably expected that employer will
8employ on business days in the current calendar year.
AB155,25,139 5. An employer that makes enrollment in qualified health plans available to
10its employees through the SHOP Exchange and that would cease to be a small
11employer by reason of an increase in the number of its employees shall continue to
12be treated as a small employer for purposes of this chapter as long as it continuously
13makes enrollment through the SHOP Exchange available to its employees.
AB155,25,1514 subchapter II
15 operation of exchange
AB155,25,19 16636.25 General matters. (1) The authority shall establish and operate a
17Wisconsin Health Benefit Exchange and shall make qualified health plans, with
18effective dates on or before January 1, 2016, available to qualified individuals and
19qualified employers.
AB155,25,21 20(2) (a) The authority may not make available any health benefit plan that is
21not a qualified health plan.
AB155,26,222 (b) The authority shall allow a health carrier to offer a plan that provides
23limited scope dental benefits meeting the requirements of section 9832 (c) (2) (A) of
24the Internal Revenue Code through the exchange, either separately or in conjunction

1with a qualified health plan, if the plan provides pediatric dental benefits meeting
2the requirements of section 1302 (b) (1) (J) of the federal act.
AB155,26,8 3(3) Neither the authority nor a carrier offering health benefit plans through
4the exchange may charge an individual a fee or penalty for termination of coverage
5if the individual enrolls in another type of minimum essential coverage because the
6individual has become newly eligible for that coverage or because the individual's
7employer-sponsored coverage has become affordable under the standards of section
836B (c) (2) (C) of the Internal Revenue Code.
AB155,26,13 9(4) The authority may enter into information-sharing agreements with federal
10and state agencies and entities operating exchanges in other states to carry out its
11responsibilities under this chapter, provided that such agreements include adequate
12protections with respect to the confidentiality of the information to be shared and
13comply with all state and federal laws and rules and regulations.
AB155,26,16 14636.30 Exchange duties and powers. (1) In addition to all other duties
15imposed under this chapter, the authority shall do all of the following relating to the
16exchange:
AB155,26,2017 (a) Implement procedures for the certification, recertification, and
18decertification, consistent with guidelines developed by the secretary under section
191311 (c) of the federal act and s. 636.42, of health benefit plans as qualified health
20plans.
AB155,26,2221 (b) Provide for the operation of a toll-free telephone hotline to respond to
22requests for assistance.
AB155,26,2423 (c) Provide for enrollment periods, as provided under section 1311 (c) (6) of the
24federal act.
AB155,27,3
1(d) Maintain an Internet site through which enrollees and prospective
2enrollees of qualified health plans may obtain standardized comparative
3information on such plans.
AB155,27,84 (e) Assign a rating to each qualified health plan offered through the exchange
5in accordance with the criteria developed by the secretary under section 1311 (c) (3)
6of the federal act, and determine each qualified health plan's level of coverage in
7accordance with regulations issued by the secretary under section 1302 (d) (2) (A) of
8the federal act.
AB155,27,119 (f) Use a standardized format for presenting health benefit options in the
10exchange, including the use of the uniform outline of coverage established under
11section 2715 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 USC 300gg-15).
AB155,27,1312 (g) Establish quality improvement standards for health benefit plans offered
13through the exchange.
AB155,27,1514 (h) Establish a system for enrolling eligible groups and individuals, using a
15standard application form developed by the commissioner under s. 636.46 (2).
AB155,27,1716 (i) Establish procedures for collecting premiums and remitting premium
17payments and providing enrollment information to health carriers.
AB155,27,2018 (j) Establish, in consultation with the commissioner, the method for
19determining the amount of the surcharge under s. 636.45 (1) and establish the
20procedure for imposing and collecting the surcharge.
AB155,27,2221 (k) Establish a plan for publicizing the exchange and the eligibility
22requirements and enrollment procedures.
AB155,27,2423 (L) Establish and operate a service center to provide information to small
24employers, individuals, enrollees, and insurance intermediaries about the exchange.
AB155,28,2
1(m) Establish a mechanism for regular communication and cooperation with
2insurance intermediaries.
AB155,28,43 (n) Establish an independent and binding appeals process for resolving
4disputes over eligibility and other determinations made by the authority.
AB155,28,95 (o) In accordance with section 1413 of the federal act, inform individuals of
6eligibility requirements for Medical Assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 or any other
7applicable state or local public program and if, through screening of the application
8by the authority, the authority determines that any individual is eligible for any such
9program, assist that individual to enroll in that program.
AB155,28,1310 (p) Establish and make available by electronic means a calculator to determine
11the actual cost of coverage after application of any premium tax credit under section
1236B of the Internal Revenue Code and any cost-sharing reduction under section
131402 of the federal act.
AB155,28,1714 (q) Establish a SHOP Exchange through which qualified employers may access
15health care coverage for their employees and which shall enable any qualified
16employer to specify the level of coverage at which its employees may enroll in any
17qualified health plan offered through the SHOP Exchange.
AB155,28,2018 (r) Perform duties required of the authority by the secretary or the federal
19secretary of the treasury related to determining eligibility for premium tax credits,
20reduced cost-sharing, or individual responsibility requirement exemptions.
AB155,28,2421 (s) Select entities, which may include insurance intermediaries, that are
22qualified to serve as navigators in accordance with section 1311 (i) of the federal act
23and standards developed by the secretary, and award grants to enable navigators to
24do all of the following:
AB155,29,2
11. Conduct public education activities to raise awareness of the availability of
2qualified health plans.
AB155,29,63 2. Distribute fair and impartial information concerning enrollment in qualified
4health plans and concerning the availability of premium tax credits under section
536B of the Internal Revenue Code and cost-sharing reductions under section 1402
6of the federal act.
AB155,29,77 3. Facilitate enrollment in qualified health plans.
AB155,29,138 4. Provide referrals to any applicable office of health insurance consumer
9assistance or health insurance ombudsman established under section 2793 of the
10federal Public Health Service Act (42 USC 300gg-93), or to any other appropriate
11state agency or agencies, for any enrollee with a grievance, complaint, or question
12regarding the enrollee's health benefit plan, coverage, or determination under that
13plan or coverage.
AB155,29,1514 5. Provide information in a manner that is culturally and linguistically
15appropriate to the needs of the population being served by the exchange.
AB155,29,1816 (t) Assist in the coordination of any necessary administrative operations
17between the department of corrections and the department of health services to
18ensure all of the following:
AB155,29,2119 1. That an individual, upon placement in a correctional facility, is disenrolled
20for the duration of his or her incarceration from any health care coverage in which
21he or she is enrolled.
AB155,30,222 2. That an individual who is incarcerated in a correctional facility, but
23scheduled to be released from incarceration in the near future, is enrolled prior to
24release, through the exchange and effective upon the date of his or her release, in

1Medical Assistance, a qualified health plan, or some other form of minimum
2essential coverage on the date of his or her release from incarceration.
AB155,30,83 (u) For those persons whose alcohol or other drug abuse or mental health
4treatment is not covered by a federally administered program, coordinate the
5relationships among the Medical Assistance program, the exchange, and the county
6departments under s. 51.42 or 51.437 to provide outpatient and inpatient mental
7health and alcohol or other drug abuse treatment with all of the following goals for
8the coordination:
AB155,30,109 1. Maximizing coverage and improving access through the exchange for
10outpatient and inpatient treatment of mental illness and alcohol or other drug abuse.
AB155,30,1211 2. Improving the quality of treatment for persons with alcohol or other drug
12dependence or a mental illness.
AB155,30,1413 3. Fully integrating the treatment for physical conditions, alcohol or other drug
14abuse, and mental illness.
AB155,30,1915 4. Reducing the cost of the county departments under ss. 51.42 and 51.437 to
16taxpayers by avoiding unnecessary overlap between the improved coverage of
17alcohol or other drug abuse treatment or mental illness treatment by health plans
18offered through the exchange and the services provided by county departments
19under s. 51.42 or 51.437.
AB155,30,2220 (v) Review the rate of premium growth within the exchange and outside the
21exchange, and consider the information in developing recommendations on whether
22to continue limiting qualified employer status to small employers.
AB155,30,2523 (w) Credit the amount of any free choice voucher to the monthly premium of
24the plan in which a qualified employee is enrolled, in accordance with section 10108
25of the federal act, and collect the amount credited from the offering employer.
AB155,31,2
1(x) Consult with stakeholders relevant to carrying out the activities required
2under this chapter, including any of the following:
AB155,31,33 1. Educated health care consumers who are enrollees in qualified health plans.
AB155,31,54 2. Individuals and entities with experience in facilitating enrollment in
5qualified health plans.
AB155,31,66 3. Representatives of small businesses and self-employed individuals.
AB155,31,77 4. The department of health services.
AB155,31,88 5. Advocates for enrolling hard-to-reach populations.
AB155,31,99 (y) Meet all of the following financial integrity requirements:
AB155,31,1210 1. Keep an accurate accounting of all activities, receipts, and expenditures and
11annually submit to the secretary, the governor, the commissioner, and the legislature
12a report concerning such accountings.
AB155,31,1613 2. Fully cooperate with any investigation conducted by the secretary under the
14secretary's authority under the federal act and allow the secretary, in coordination
15with the inspector general of the federal department of health and human services,
16to do all of the following:
AB155,31,1717 a. Investigate the affairs of the authority.
AB155,31,1818 b. Examine the properties and records of the authority.
AB155,31,2019 c. Require periodic reports in relation to the activities undertaken by the
20authority.
AB155,32,221 3. In carrying out its activities under this chapter, not use any funds intended
22for the administrative and operational expenses of the authority for staff retreats,
23promotional giveaways, excessive executive compensation, or promotion of federal
24or state legislative or regulatory modifications, except that this subdivision does not
25prohibit the authority from advocating, as part of administering the exchange, for

1policies that the authority determines are in the best interest of the exchange or of
2individuals and employees receiving coverage through the exchange.
AB155,32,3 3(2) The authority may do all of the following relating to the exchange:
AB155,32,54 (a) Contract with a 3rd-party administrator for the provision of services on
5behalf of the exchange.
AB155,32,66 (b) Establish risk adjustment mechanisms for the exchange.
AB155,32,77 (c) Enter into agreements with or establish sub-exchanges.
AB155,32,98 (d) Create any other exchange, or component of the exchange, that is provided
9for under federal law.
AB155,32,13 10(3) The authority shall seek grants to the fullest extent to which it is eligible,
11including amounts under section 1311 (a) (1) and (4) of the federal act, or other
12funding from the federal or state government for which it may be eligible and from
13private foundations for the purpose of the exchange.
AB155,32,15 14636.42 Health benefit plan certification. (1) The authority may certify a
15health benefit plan as a qualified health plan if all of the following are true:
AB155,32,1916 (a) The plan provides the essential health benefits package described in section
171302 (a) of the federal act, except that the plan is not required to provide essential
18benefits that duplicate the minimum benefits of qualified dental plans, as provided
19in sub. (5), if all of the following are satisfied:
AB155,32,2120 1. The authority has determined that at least one qualified dental plan is
21available to supplement the plan's coverage.
AB155,32,2522 2. The carrier makes prominent disclosure at the time it offers the plan, in a
23form approved by the authority, that the plan does not provide the full range of
24essential pediatric benefits and that qualified dental plans providing those benefits
25and other dental benefits not covered by the plan are offered through the exchange.
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