- Wisconsin Primary Elections are Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12th – Please Vote!
- Race for Wisconsin Governor Heating Up: Candidates Nearly Equal with “Cash-on-Hand”
- Wisconsin Appeals Court Rules Assisted Living Contracts are “Insurance”
- PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES
- DHFS-DDES, BQA, BQC MEMOS
- NEW LEGISLATION
Wisconsin Primary Elections are Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12 – Please Vote!
Tomorrow marks Wisconsin’s Democratic and Republican Primary Elections, where the winners of each party will face off in the General Election on November 7th – only 58 days away. Of the 137 state elected offices, there are 38 contested primary elections tomorrow. These offices include: Lt. Governor (Republican); Attorney General (Both Democratic and Republican); Secretary of State (Both Democratic and Republican) and State Treasurer (Democratic). In addition, there are 4 State Senate and 30 Assembly Primary elections. Overall, 16 of the primary elections are against incumbents and another 9 primary elections are in open seats, where legislators are retiring. If you would like to view a list of both the Primary Election and General Election candidates, look to the document “Wisconsin Elections.doc” that is attached for your review.
The Republican and Democratic primary election for State Attorney General is considered one of the highest profile and most competitive races. There is no clear leader in either the Republican or Democratic races. The Candidates for Attorney General are: Incumbent Peg Lautenschlager (D); Kathleen Falk (D); Paul Bucher (R); and, JB Van Hollen (R). Click on the names of the candidates if you wish to view more information about them.
Race for Wisconsin Governor Heating Up: Candidates Nearly Equal with “Cash-on-Hand”
Republican challenger Mark Green out-raised incumbent Democratic Governor James Doyle in the July-August reporting period nearly 3 to 1. Reports filed with the Wisconsin Elections Board last week show that Democratic Governor Jim Doyle raised $494,007 from July 1 – August 28, and spent over $2 million during this two-month period. Governor Doyle has approximately $4 million cash-on-hand for the November Elections so far. Republican Challenger Congressman Mark Green raised $1.38 million in the reporting period, July 1 – August 28, and spent over $1.6 million during this two-month reporting period. Mark Green is reporting that his campaign has $3.72 million cash-on-hand for the November Elections so far.
A television station based in Madison, Wisconsin, WISC-TV, released a poll last week that has Governor James Doyle (D) with a 9% lead over Republican challenger Mark Green. The WISC-TV poll found that 49% favored Doyle, 40% favored Green, 1% favored Eisman and 10% were still undecided. Another poll released last week had similar results, but had Doyle with a 7% lead.
Incumbent Governor James Doyle is considered one of the most vulnerable Democratic Governor’s in the Country. Although Governor Doyle has a 7 to 9% lead over his Republican challenger, 10% of the voters are still undecided and 58 days still remain until the General Election in November – where much can and will happen during this period.
Wisconsin Appeals Court Rules Assisted Living Contracts are “Insurance”
The Wisconsin District Court of Appeals decided last week that assisted living contracts sold by Homeward Bound Services, Inc. of Drexel, Pennsylvania to Wisconsin residents in 1998-2002 were insurance contracts.
Homeward Bound, Inc. sold assisted living services contracts, which provide assistance with everyday activities, including eating, bathing, dressing, shopping, laundry, cleaning, and toileting to persons in their homes. After an investigation, OCI ordered Homeward Bound to cease and desist from selling insurance through its assisted living contracts to Wisconsin residents, to refund subscription fees, and to comply with related requests.
Homeward Bound Services Inc. sold its "Assisted Living Contract" to 323 senior citizens, some of whom paid as much as $6,000 annually. Most of the elderly purchasers were unable to afford the coverage and forfeited their premiums without ever receiving any benefits. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) investigation began after a few of the elderly victims or their guardians complained to OCI. The average age of Wisconsin subscribers is 79.88 years. The average annual fee paid by Wisconsin subscribers was approximately $2100, with a variation from $700 to over $6000 depending on a subscriber’s age, health condition, and level of benefits purchased.
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals concluded that “OCI’s construction and application of the relevant statutes regarding insurance are entitled to great weight deference and are reasonable, and OCI did not engage in rulemaking by applying a new definition of “insurance.” The Court also concluded the OCI Commissioner has the statutory authority to order refunds in this case, and Homeward Bound’s right to notice under the due process clause was not violated. The Court therefore affirmed the circuit court’s order, which affirmed OCI’s final decision and order and dismissed Homeward Bound’s petition for judicial review. To view the Court’s decision, go to:
http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=26408
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES
Legislative Council Study Committee: Placement of Sex Offenders
Thursday, September 14, 2006 10:00 AM
Leg. Council Conference Room, 1 E. Main St., Ste. 401 Madison, WI
- Presentations by invited speakers
- Discussion of committee assignment
DHFS Planning Consortia Conference
County Governance of Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care Organizations
September 20, 2006 Radisson Harborview Hotel La Crosse, Wisconsin
DHFS is hosting a one-day conference for consortia members. The topic of this conference is County Governance of Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care Organizations. This conference will provide an opportunity for representatives from counties and their non-county partners involved in managed long-term care expansion to come together to learn and share information. The program will begin with a presentation from representatives from Minnesota counties with experience in managed care. Minnesota counties provide Medicaid managed care through multi-county consortia called County Based Purchasing (CBP) entities. Presenters will describe how multiple counties share governance, risk and revenues through “joint powers boards” in Minnesota. Andrew Phillips, an Attorney with Stadler, Centofanti, & Phillips and counsel for the Wisconsin Counties Association, will describe Wisconsin statutory authority for possible governance models. Other experts on county authority have been invited to participate in this discussion.
DHFS – Riding the Wave to Long-Term Care Reform
October 9-11, 2006 Chula Vista Theme Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI
This conference provides an opportunity for sharing and learning as Wisconsin’s long-term care system transitions to managed care. Special sessions are available throughout the conference for attendees to learn more about planning and preparation for managed care expansion and to ask questions directly to Department administration. Best practice approaches to ensure quality in Wisconsin’s current and future long-term care programs are provided through a vast array of workshop presentations.
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/ltc_cop/BLTS_Conference/RidingTheWave.HTM
Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care Reform: Comprehensive System Change Committee
October 13, 2006 Time and Place: TBA
DHFS - DDES and BQA, BQC Memos
DDES-BLTS 2006-18: ICF/MR Restructuring Initiative – Long Term Care Functional Screen.
8-25-2006. This memo, effective immediately, requires uniform implementation of the Long-Term Care (LTC) Functional Screen for the development, review and implementation of service plans arising from the ICF/MR relocation initiative. All screens are to be completed by June 30, 2007 for all individuals with developmental disabilities.
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/dsl_info/NumberedMemos/DDES/CY2006/2006-18_numb_ICF_MR.pdf
BQA 06-018: Hospice Aides and Medication Administration
8-9-2006. The Bureau of Quality Assurance will allow hospice aides to administer prescription and nonprescription topical creams and ointments to unbroken skin during daily care, administer prescription and nonprescription oral mouthwashes used for daily oral care, and administer nonprescription rectal suppositories if the aides have had training in these administration areas during their nurse aide training course. These are delegated nursing activities. They are authorized only if the delegating registered nurse has verified and determined that the hospice aide is competent to administer topical creams and ointments, oral mouthwash, and rectal suppositories. The registered nurse must follow the appropriate requirements for delegation, including training, competency verification, and providing direct or general supervision as part of that delegation.
http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/rl_DSL/Hospice/hospice06018.htm
NEW LEGISALTIVE BILLS
--- No New Bill Introduced This Week ----- |