WISCONSIN LONG-TERM CARE UPDATE
January 29, 2008

• Wisconsin State Revenue Shortfall Estimated to be $300-$400 Million
• Anticipated Implementation of Family Care, by County, in 2008

• PUBLIC HEARING \ MEETING NOTICES
  • AB-674: The statewide nursing home bed cap and nursing home bed transfers.
  • AB-616: Authorization to administer the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly under the Medical Assistance program.
  • AB-612: Approval of a court order for a minor's placement in or transfer to an inpatient facility.
  • AB-611: Creating an exception to the prohibition on protective placement or continued protective placement of an individual in a nursing facility.
  • AB-424: Adjudications for involuntary commitment, appointment of a guardian of the person, and protective placement or protective services, background checks for the purchase of handguns, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.
  • SB-370: Depositing all revenue from the assessment on licensed beds of nursing homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded into the Medical Assistance trust fund (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).
  • SB-393: Background checks for personal care workers.
  • SB-394: Licensure of dietitians and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.

• STATE AGENCY MEMOS (DHFS, OQA, DDES, etc.)
• DQA Memo 08-001 (January 4, 2008): Life Safety Informational Release
• DLTC-DDES Info Memo 2008-01 (January 10, 2008) LTC Fiscal Update Memo #5
• DLTC Memo 2008-01 (January 11, 2008) Elder Adults/Adults-at-Risk County Investigation Process when the County has a Conflict of Interest.

• MISCELLANEOUS LTC MEETING NOTICES
• April 14-16: Wisconsin Long-Term Care Conference 2008

• NEW LEGISLATION (Bills, Resolutions, New Legislation & Administrative Rules)
• Please see list of new legislation listed below

Wisconsin State Revenue Shortfall Estimated to be $300-$400 Million
The Director of the Wisconsin Legislature’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau last week reported to the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee that the State’s revenues could be revised downward (shortfall) of $300 - $400 million.  This shortfall is for the entire 2-year budget (2007-09 biennial budget).  The director has suggested that the Legislative Fiscal Bureau wait until February before issuing formal re-estimates, since a number of negative economic reports have been released since the January forecast was prepared.  Also, it would allow the Bureau to look at sales tax revenue from the Christmas season.

Due to the size of the impending budget shortfall a “Budget Repair Bill” may have to be introduced and passed to fix the revenue shortfalls for the current fiscal biennium.

The day before this fiscal report was released, Governor Doyle stated in his “State of the State” address to the Legislature that Wisconsin like other states is facing budget deficits and a “very difficult fiscal situation”.  Governor Doyle stated to the legislature Wednesday night, “We will have to delay some of the things we all agreed on.  We will have to make deep cuts and hard sacrifices.”

What programs would face cuts remains uncertain.

To view the Legislative Memo, click on:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/Misc/2008_01_24_revenue%20memo.pdf

Anticipated Implementation of Family Care, by County, in 2008
The Department of Health and Family Services released the following table, which identifies planned start dates for new Aging and Disability Resource Centers and new Managed Care Organizations in  Wisconsin in 2008.  Please note there are factors may arise that cause delay in the certification and, subsequently, the implementation of either the ADRC, MCO, or both.
(More… http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/managedltc/generalinfo/pdf/startdates.pdf)

PUBLIC HEARING \ MEETING NOTICES

Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care
Tuesday, January 29, 2008   1:30 PM   225 Northwest, State Capitol
The committee will hold an executive session on the following items:

• AB-674: The statewide nursing home bed cap and nursing home bed transfers.
• AB-616: Authorization to administer the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly under the Medical Assistance program (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).  By Law Revision Committee.
• AB-612: Approval of a court order for a minor's placement in or transfer to an inpatient facility (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).  By Law Revision Committee.
• AB-611: Creating an exception to the prohibition on protective placement or continued protective placement of an individual in a nursing facility (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).  By Law Revision Committee.

Assembly Committee on Public Health
Wednesday, January 30, 2008     9:00 AM    328 Northwest, State Capitol
The committee will hold a public hearing on the following items:

• AB-717: Fire safety performance standards for cigarettes, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty.
• AB-731: Remote dispensing by pharmacists and authorizing the exercise of rule-making powers.
• SB-71: Substitutions by pharmacists dispensing epilepsy drugs.

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice
Wednesday, January 30, 2008    10:30 AM    225 Northwest, State Capitol
The committee will hold a public hearing on the following items:

• AB-424: Adjudications for involuntary commitment, appointment of a guardian of the person, and protective placement or protective services, background checks for the purchase of handguns, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.

Senate Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy
Wednesday, February 6, 2008    11:00 AM    330 Southwest, State Capitol
The committee will hold an executive session on the following items:

• SB-370: Depositing all revenue from the assessment on licensed beds of nursing homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded into the Medical Assistance trust fund (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).
• SB-379: Fire safety performance standards for cigarettes, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty.
• SB-393: Background checks for personal care workers.
• SB-394: Licensure of dietitians and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.
• AB-483: Abatement or removal of human health hazards, requirements for certain local health officers, personnel of a local health department, state agency status for certain physicians, community health improvement plans, emergency medical services, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and providing penalties.

The committee will hold a public hearing on the following items:

• SB-415: Permitting a researcher, under certain conditions, access to cancer information reported to the Department of Health and Family Services, prohibiting certain other use or redisclosure of the information, creating civil liability for violation of the prohibitions, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.

STATE AGENCY MEMOS (DHFS, OQA, DDES, etc.)

DQA Memo 08-001 (January 4, 2008)
Life Safety Informational Release
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify the health care provider community of common Life Safety Code NFPA 101 (LSC) items that have been  cited in recent Medicare or Medicaid surveys.
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/rl_DSL/Publications/08-001.htm

DLTC-DDES Info Memo 2008-01 (January 10, 2008)
LTC Fiscal Update Memo #5
This memo explains the methodology that will be used to calculate the COP funds remaining with a county after it transitions to managed long term care.
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/dsl_info/InfoMemos/DDES/CY2008/InfoMemo200801.htm

DLTC Memo 2008-01 (January 11, 2008)
Elder Adults/Adults-at-Risk County Investigation Process
when the County has a Conflict of Interest.
This memo explains the process for assigning an investigation to another county's elder adults/adults-at-risk agency if there is a potential conflict of interest. The memo also provides a form for notifying the Department of Health and Family Services. This memo only deals with the response and investigation process. It does not address the provision of services by the responsible county, generally the county that received the report.
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/dsl_info/NumberedMemos/DDES/CY2008/NMemo2008-01.htm

MISCELLANEOUS LTC MEETING NOTICES

Wisconsin Long-Term Care Conference 2008
“Charting your Course and Successfully Navigating Long-Term Care”
April 14-16, 2008 in La Crosse
DHFS Bureau of Long-Term Support
DHFS Office of Family Care Expansion
DHFS Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources

• The conference will be held in La Crosse at the La Crosse Center in partnership with the Hotel Radisson connected to the conference center. We will offer more than 55 workshops with a focus on providing valuable information and education to:
• Care managers and nurses working with Community Options Program (COP), Waivers, Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS), Family Care, PACE, and the Wisconsin Partnership Program;
• COP and DD Coordinators, Long-Term Support (LTS) and CLTS supervisors;
• Family Care, Family Plus and Wisconsin Partnership Program supervisors and managers;
• Aging and Disability Resource Center staff;
• Other partners in long-term care reform

LEGISLATIVE BILL WATCH (Bills, Resolutions & New Legislation)

NEW Senate Bills:

SB 370: (Nursing Home Bed Assessment) Depositing all revenue from the assessment on licensed beds of nursing homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded into the Medical Assistance trust fund (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Health and Family Services).  S-Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy

SB 375: (Mental Health Parity) health insurance coverage of nervous and mental disorders, alcoholism, and other drug abuse problems.  S-Available for Scheduling

SB 377: (BPDD) Renumbering the appropriation accounts for the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Administration).  S-Ethics Reform and Government Operations

SB 393: (Personal Care) Background checks for personal care workers. S-Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy

SB 394: (Dieticians) Licensure of dietitians and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. S-Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy

SB 409: (Pharmacy) Remote dispensing by pharmacists and authorizing the exercise of rule-making powers.  S-Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation

NEW Assembly Bills:

AB 664: (Ombudsman in RCACs) authorizing access by the long-term care ombudsman or his or her representative to a client or resident in a residential care apartment complex, imposing an annual assessment on certain occupied apartments of residential care apartment complexes, expanding rights of residents of facilities to include residents of residential care apartment complexes, requiring posting of a notice, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
A-Aging and Long Term Care

AB 665: (Elderly\Disabled Transportation) Specialized medical vehicles and vehicles transporting elderly or disabled persons. A-Transportation

AB 674: (Nursing Home Bed Transfers) the statewide nursing home bed cap and nursing home bed transfers. A-Aging and Long Term Care

AB 691: (Medicaid Assets) determining eligibility of certain persons for Medical Assistance without consideration of a spouse's income or assets.  A-Health and Healthcare Reform

AB 698: (Personal Care) background checks for personal care workers.  A-Aging and Long Term Care

AB 729: (Healthcare Information) disclosure of information by health care providers and insurers and providing a penalty.  A-Small Business

AB 731: (Pharmacy) Remote dispensing by pharmacists and authorizing the exercise of rule-making powers.  A-Public Health

LRB Co-sponsorship Memos: (Legislative Drafts Not Yet Introduced as a Bill, But Soon Will Be)

 - NONE -

Administrative Rules