Public Notices

public_notices Wisconsin Administrative Register No. 672, 12/31/2011

Public Notices

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Notice of Dollar Amount Adjustments for Liens on Vehicles for Towing and Storage

Under Wis. Stat. s. 779.415 (1g) (c), the department is required to annually adjust the dollar amounts that may be charged for towing or storing a vehicle identified under Wis. Stat. s. 779.415 (1g) par. (a). Under this law, the department shall adjust the dollar amounts by the annual change in the consumer price index, all items, U.S. city average, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Department has determined that current dollar amounts specified under Wis. Stat. s. 779.415 (1g) (a) shall be increased by 1.6%, according to the prior year annual change in the consumer price index. The dollar amounts contained in Wis. Stat. s. 779.415 (1g) (a) are adjusted to the following dollar amounts:

  If the vehicle is subject to a lien perfected under Wis. Stat. ch. 342, a towing lien shall have priority only to the extent of $102 for a vehicle having a manufacturer's gross weight rating of 20,000 pounds or less and $356 for a vehicle having a manufacturer's gross weight rating of more than 20,000 pounds. A storage lien shall have priority only to the extent of $10 per day but for a total amount of not more than $610 for a vehicle having a manufacturer's gross weight rating of 20,000 pounds or less and $25 per day but for a total amount of not more than $1,524 for a vehicle having a manufacturer's gross weight rating of more than 20,000 pounds. If the value of the vehicle exceeds $762, the lien may be enforced under Wis. Stat. s. 779.48 (2). If the value of the vehicle does not exceed $762, the lien may be enforced by sale or junking as provided in sub. (2).

These revised dollar amounts for liens on vehicles for towing and storage shall apply to services commenced on or after January 1, 2012 for which a lien is claimed. These revised dollar amounts shall remain in effect until the first day of the first month following publication of new adjusted dollar amounts in the Wisconsin Administrative Register.

Contact Information:

Paul Dingee, Section Chief

Trade Practices Bureau

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

2811 Agriculture Drive

P.O. Box 8911

Madison, WI 53708-8911

Telephone: [phone]

[e-mail]

Health and Family Services

Documentation of Medicaid Payment Rates

The State of Wisconsin reimburses providers for services provided to Medical Assistance recipients under the authority of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and ss. 49.43 to 49.47, Wisconsin Statutes. This program, administered by the State's Department of Health Services, is called Medical Assistance (MA) or Medicaid. In addition, Wisconsin has expanded this program to create the BadgerCare and BadgerCare Plus programs under the authority of Title XIX and Title XXI of the Social Security Act and ss. 49.471, 49.665, and 49.67 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Federal statutes and regulations require that a state plan be developed that provides the methods and standards for reimbursement of covered services. A plan that describes the reimbursement system for the services (methods and standards for reimbursement) is now in effect.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is proposing to amend the Medicaid state plan to insert language to assist the reader in locating rate tables for Medicaid services.

The Medicaid state plan currently includes language describing rate methodologies for non-institutional providers of services to Medicaid recipients. The current language indicates that “In general, the department will pay the lesser of a provider's usual and customary charge or a maximum fee established by the department."

The proposed amendment creates specific language that provides, in the Medicaid state plan, detail as to how to find the actual rates paid as well as the effective dates of rates for individual services. The amendment meets the requirement of 42 CFR s. 447.203(a), which requires the State Medicaid Agency to maintain documentation of payment rates.

The proposed language will provide an address (url) through which the reader can obtain actual rate schedules on the Department's web site. In addition, as noted in the proposed state plan language, the Department's web site provides the effective dates of current and past reimbursement rates.

Proposed Change

The proposal will have no change on existing rates or policies. It will merely provide additional information in the Medicaid state plan on how to obtain existing rate schedules and their effective dates. As a result, the projected fiscal effect of these changes will be zero, as it applies to general purpose revenue (GPR), federal match (FED), and all funds. The effective date of the proposal will be January 1, 2012.

Copies of the Proposed Change:

A copy of the proposed change may be obtained free of charge by calling or writing as follows:

Regular Mail

Curtis Cunningham
Bureau of Fiscal Management
Division of Health Care Access and Accountability
P.O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701-0309

Phone

Curtis Cunningham
[phone]

FAX

[phone]
Attention: Curtis Cunningham

E-Mail

[e-mail]

A copy of the proposed change are available for review at the main office of any county department of social services or human services.

Written Comments:

Written comments are welcome. Written comments on the proposed changes may be sent by FAX, e-mail, or regular mail to the Department. The FAX number is [phone]. The e-mail address is [e-mail]. Regular mail can be sent to the above address. All written comments will be reviewed and considered.

The written comments will be available for public review between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily in Room 350 of the State Office Building, 1 West Wilson Street, Madison, Wisconsin. Revisions may be made in the proposed changed methodology based on comments received.