AB545: Bill Text

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 545

September 10, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Subeck, Riemer, Anderson, Baldeh, Cabrera, Conley, Considine, Doyle, Emerson, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hong, Milroy, Neubauer, Pope, S. Rodriguez, Shankland, Shelton, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Stubbs and Vruwink, cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Erpenbach, Agard, Carpenter, Larson, Pfaff and Roys. Referred to Committee on Health.

AB545,1,4 In Act to renumber and amend 250.15 (1); and to create 250.15 (1) (b) and 250.15 (2) (d) of the statutes; relating to: grants for free and charitable clinics; funding for special education, the University of Wisconsin System, and the technical college system; and making an appropriation..

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Health Services is required to award grants each fiscal year to several classes of community health centers. A community health center is a health care entity that provides primary health care, health education, and social services to low-income individuals. The 2019 biennial budget act, 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, required DHS to annually award $500,000 in grants to free and charitable clinics from the same community health services appropriation. This bill continues the grant for free and charitable clinics and directs DHS to annually award $2,500,000 in grants to free and charitable clinics. This bill defines “free and charitable clinics” as health care organizations that use a volunteer and staff model to provide health services to uninsured, underinsured, underserved, economically and socially disadvantaged, and vulnerable populations and that meet criteria specified in the bill. If the grants are awarded, the bill provides additional funding to the Department of Public Instruction for aids for special education and to the University of Wisconsin System and the technical college system.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB545,1 Section 1. 250.15 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 250.15 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB545,2,3 250.15 (1) Definition Definitions. (intro.) In this section, “ community:

AB545,2,5 (a) “Community health center" means a health care entity that provides primary health care, health education and social services to low-income individuals.

AB545,2 Section 2. 250.15 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB545,2,10 250.15 (1) (b) “Free and charitable clinics” means health care organizations that use a volunteer and staff model to provide health services to uninsured, underinsured, underserved, economically and socially disadvantaged, and vulnerable populations and that meet all of the following criteria:

AB545,2,12 1. The organizations are nonprofit and tax exempt or are a part of a larger nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

AB545,2,13 2. The organizations are located in this state or serve residents in this state.

AB545,2,16 3. The organizations restrict eligibility to receive services to individuals who are uninsured, underinsured, or have limited or no access to primary, specialty, or prescription care.

AB545,2,17 4. The organizations provide one or more of the following services:

AB545,2,18 a. Medical care.

AB545,2,19 b. Mental health care.

AB545,2,20 c. Dental care.

AB545,2,21 d. Prescription medications.

AB545,3,3 5. The organizations use volunteer health care professionals, nonclinical volunteers, and partnerships with other health care providers to provide the services under subd. 4.

AB545,3,7 6. The organizations are not federally-qualified health centers as defined in 42 USC 1396d (l) (2) and do not receive reimbursement from the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services under a federally-qualified health center payment methodology.

AB545,3 Section 3. 250.15 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB545,3,9 250.15 (2) (d) To free and charitable clinics, $2,500,000.

AB545,4 Section 4. Fiscal changes.

AB545,3,17 (1) Grants for free and charitable clinics. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of health services under s. 20.435 (1) (fh), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is increased by $2,500,000 for grants to free and charitable clinics under s. 250.15 (2) (d). In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of health services under s. 20.435 (1) (fh), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased by $2,500,000 for grants to free and charitable clinics under s. 250.15 (2) (d).

AB545,3,22 (2) Special education aid; grants for free and charitable clinics. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (2) (b), if the grants under s. 250.15 (2) (d) are awarded, the dollar amount is increased by $1,580,000 for the fiscal year in which the grants are awarded to increase funding for aids for special education under s. 115.88.

AB545,4,3 (3) UW System, general program operation; grants for free and charitable clinics. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 20.285 (1) (a), if the grants under s. 250.15 (2) (d) are awarded, the dollar amount is increased by $335,800 for the fiscal year in which the grants are awarded to increase funding for the purpose which the appropriation is made.

AB545,4,8 (4) State aids for technical colleges; grants for free and charitable clinics. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the technical college system board under s. 20.292 (1) (d), if the grants under s. 250.15 (2) (d) are awarded, the dollar amount is increased by $59,200 for the fiscal year in which the grants are awarded to increase funding for the purpose which the appropriation is made.

AB545,4,9 (End)