Public Notices
Health and Family Services
Medical Assistance Reimbursement to Hospitals
The State of Wisconsin reimburses hospitals for medical services provided to low-income persons under the authority of Title XIX of the Federal Social Security Act and Chapter 49.43 to 49.47, Wisconsin Statutes.
The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services administers this program that is called Medicaid or Medical Assistance (MA). Federal statutes and regulations require state plans, one for outpatient services and one for inpatient services, that provide the methods and standards for paying for hospital outpatient and inpatient services.
State plans are now in effect for the reimbursement of outpatient hospital services and inpatient hospital services. The Department is proposing to make changes to the provisions contained in the inpatient plan effective May 1, 2008.
Hospital Services
The proposed change in the state plan for reimbursement for inpatient services is to institute supplemental disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments for state and county hospitals.
There is a separate DSH allotment for hospitals owned and operated by the State of Wisconsin and for hospitals owned and operated by county governments of the State of Wisconsin. To be eligible for these separate DSH payments, such hospitals must meet minimum federal requirements for Medicaid DSH payments as specified in section 1923(b) and (d) of the Social Security Act [
42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(b) and (d))].
State and county owned and operated hospitals in the State of Wisconsin will receive a DSH payment adjustment for the costs of uncompensated care as defined in section 1923(g)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act [
42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(g)(1)(A)]. This amount shall not exceed the costs incurred by the hospital during the applicable year of furnishing hospital services (net of payments under Title XIX, other than under section 1923, and net of any self-pay amounts by uninsured patients) with respect to individuals who are eligible under Title XIX or have no health insurance or other third party health coverage for hospital services during the year.
Copies of Proposed Changes and Proposed Payment Rates
Copies of the proposed changes will be sent to every county social services or human service department main office where they will be available for public review. For more information, interested persons may fax or write to:
Bureau of Fiscal Management
Division of Health Care Access and Accountability
P.O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701-0309
Fax: (608) 266-1096
Written Comments
Written comments on the proposed changes are welcome and should be sent to the above address. The comments received on the changes will be available for public review between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at:
Division of Health Access and Accountability
Room 350, State Office Building
One West Wilson Street
Madison, WI
Transportation
The Department of Transportation hereby publishes notice as provided in s.
85.515(2)(a), Stats., that it will not be ready to complete full implementation of the provisions of the federal REAL ID Act, as incorporated into
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, by May 11, 2008.
2007 Wisconsin Act 20 made numerous changes to driver licensing and identification card laws in order to comply with the federal REAL ID law. Federal law requires those changes to take effect on May 11, 2008, but the federal government has granted Wisconsin a waiver of that effective date until December 31, 2009. On January 29, 2008, the federal Department of Homeland Security issued federal REAL ID regulations applicable to Wisconsin. Delaying the effective date of the REAL ID provisions of
2007 Wisconsin Act 20 will provide the Department of Transportation time to implement those regulations.
By this public notice, and under the authority of s.
85.515(2)(a), Stats., as created by Section
2550m of
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, Frank J. Busalacchi, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, declares that the Department will not be ready to complete full implementation of the provisions of the federal REAL ID Act by May 11, 2008.
