779.80(3)(3) No such lien shall be effective unless a written notice containing the name and address of the injured person, the date and location of the event causing such injuries, the name and location of the hospital, and if ascertainable by reasonable diligence, the names and addresses of the persons alleged to be liable for damages sustained by such injured person, shall be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court in the county in which such injuries have occurred, or in the county in which such hospital is located, or in the county in which suit for recovery of such damages is pending, prior to the payment of any moneys to such injured person or legal representatives, but in no event later than 60 days after discharge of such injured person from the hospital.

779.80(3)(a)(a) The clerk of circuit court shall enter all hospital liens in the judgment and lien docket, including the name of the injured person, the date of the event causing the injury and the name of the hospital or other institution making the claim. The clerk of circuit court shall receive the fee prescribed in s. 814.61 (5) for entering each lien.

779.80(3)(b)(b) Within 10 days after filing of the notice of lien, the hospital shall send by certified mail or registered mail or serve personally a copy of such notice with the date of filing thereof to or upon the injured person and the person alleged to be liable for damages sustained by such injured person, if ascertained by reasonable diligence. If such hospital fails to give notice if the name and address of the person injured or the person allegedly liable for the injury are known or should be known, the lien shall be void.

779.80(3)(c)(c) The hospital shall also serve a copy of such notice, as provided in par. (b), to any insurer which has insured such person alleged to be liable for the injury against such liability, if the name and address may be ascertained by reasonable diligence.

779.80(4)(4) After filing and service of the notice of lien, no release of any judgment, claim or demand by the injured person shall be valid as against such lien, and the person making any payment to such injured person or legal representatives as compensation for the injuries sustained shall, for a period of one year from the date of such payment, remain liable to the hospital for the amount of such lien.

779.80(5)(5) Such lien shall not in any way prejudice or interfere with any lien or contract which may be made by such injured person or legal representatives with any attorney or attorneys for legal services rendered with respect to the claim of the injured person or legal representatives against the person alleged to be liable for such injury. Said lien shall also be subservient to actual taxable court costs, and actual disbursements made by the attorney in prosecuting the court action.

779.80(6)(6) No hospital is entitled to any lien under this section if the person injured is eligible for compensation under ch. 102 or any other worker’s compensation act.

779.80 AnnotationUnder s. 609.91, a health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollee has no personal liability for the costs of covered health care received. A hospital only has recourse against the HMO and may not assert its lien rights under this section against insurance proceeds paid by a tortfeasor’s insurer to the HMO enrollee. Dorr v. Sacred Heart Hospital, 228 Wis. 2d 425, 597 N.W.2d 462 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-1772.

779.80 AnnotationThe circuit court did not err in interpreting federal Medicare law to allow a hospital to enforce a lien under this section after expiration of the time period within which the hospital could have billed Medicare for the plaintiff’s treatment. Laska v. General Casualty Co. of Wisconsin, 2013 WI App 42, 347 Wis. 2d 356, 830 N.W.2d 252, 10-2410.

779.80 AnnotationAn attorney or law firm that receives and then distributes a settlement payment on a personal injury claim is not, under sub. (4), a person making any payment to the injured person as compensation for the injuries sustained. The tortfeasor’s insurer that made a payment to the injured person through the injured party’s attorney is such a person because it made payment to the injured person as compensation for the injuries sustained. Watertown Regional Medical Center, Inc. v. General Casualty Insurance Co., 2014 WI App 62, 354 Wis. 2d 195, 848 N.W.2d 890, 13-2324.

779.85(1)(1) “Creditor” has the meaning set forth in s. 421.301 (16).

779.85(2)(2) “Customer” means a person who seeks or acquires maintenance on behalf of himself or herself or another person for personal, family, household or agricultural purposes.

779.85(3)(3) “Goods” has the meaning set forth in s. 402.105 (1) (c) except that this term does not include a “motor vehicle” as defined in s. 218.0101 (22).

779.85(4)(4) “Maintenance” means any repair or other services to be performed on goods after the goods have been initially delivered to the premises designated by a customer following its sale, but this term does not include installation, set up charges or delivery charges.

779.85(5)(5) “Prepaid maintenance agreement” means any agreement in which a customer agrees to make prepayment for maintenance to be performed by a seller.

779.85(6)(6) “Prepayment” means any full or partial payment received by a seller or an obligation incurred by a customer to a creditor or to a seller or to a seller’s assignee for maintenance to be performed by a seller if payment is made before the maintenance is rendered or received. This term does not include prepayment for maintenance under an insurance policy. Except with regard to a warranty under s. 101.953, this term does not include prepayment for maintenance to be provided under a manufacturer’s warranty on goods or maintenance unless there is a prepayment made for maintenance to be rendered under the warranty separate from the payment for the goods themselves.

779.85(7)(7) “Regulated prepaid maintenance agreement” means a prepaid maintenance agreement meeting the following requirements:

779.85(7)(b)(b) The total period during which the seller is obligated to provide maintenance exceeds one year whether the obligation is initially for more than one year or is extended or renewed beyond one year.

779.86779.86 Records. A seller shall retain records for 60 days following completion of the time period for which prepaid maintenance is to be performed under a prepaid maintenance agreement including but not limited to records showing the amount of prepayment, the period for which maintenance is to be performed, all contracts relating to such maintenance and all records pertaining to the escrow account or bond required under s. 779.87.