APPENDIX C
NOTICE
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOLD-HARMLESS PROVISIONS WHICH AFFECT YOUR
ABILITY TO SEEK RECOURSE AGAINST HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION INSURER ENROLLEES FOR PAYMENT FOR SERVICES
Section 609.94, Wis. Stats., requires each health maintenance organization insurer (“HMO insurer”), to provide a summary notice to all of its participating providers of the statutory limitations and requirements in §§ 609.91 to 609.935, and § 609.97 (1), Wis. Stats. SUMMARY
Under Wisconsin law a health care provider may not hold HMO insurer enrollees or policyholders (“enrollees”) liable for costs covered under an HMO insurer policy if the provider is subject to statutory provisions which “hold harmless” the enrollees. For most health care providers application of the statutory hold-harmless is “mandatory” or it applies unless the provider elects to “opt-out.” A provider permitted to “opt-out” must file timely notice with the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (“OCI”).
Some types of provider care are subject to the hold-harmless statutes only if the provider voluntarily “opts-in.” An HMO insurer may partially satisfy its regulatory capital and surplus requirements if health care providers elect to remain subject to the statutory hold-harmless provisions.
This notice is only a summary of the law. Every effort has been made to accurately describe the law. However, if this summary is inconsistent with a provision of the law or incomplete, the law will control.
Filings for exemption with OCI must be on the prescribed form in order to be effective.
HOLD HARMLESS
A health care provider who is subject to the statutory hold-harmless provisions is prohibited from seeking to recover health care costs from an enrollee. The provider may not bill, charge, collect a deposit from, seek remuneration or compensation from, file or threaten to file with a credit reporting agency or have any recourse against an enrollee or any person acting on the enrollee’s behalf, for health care costs for which the enrollee is not liable. The prohibition on recovery does not effect the liability of an enrollee for any deductibles or copayments, or for premiums owed under the policy or certificate issued by the HMO insurer.
A. MANDATORY FOR HOLD HARMLESS.
An enrollee of an HMO insurer is not liable to a health care provider for health care costs that are covered under a policy issued by that HMO insurer if any of the following are met:
1. Care is provided by a provider who is an affiliate of the HMO insurer, owns at least 5% of the voting securities of the HMO insurer, is directly or indirectly involved with the HMO insurer through direct or indirect selection of or representation by one or more board members, or is an Individual Practice Association (“IPA”) and is represented, or an affiliate is represented, by one of at least three HMO insurer board members who directly or indirectly represent one or more IPAs or affiliates of IPAs.
2. Care is provided by a provider under a contract with or through membership in an organization identified in 1.
3. To the extent the charge exceeds the amount the HMO insurer has contractually agreed to pay the provider for that health care service.
4. The care is provided to an enrolled medical assistance recipient under a Department of Health Services prepaid health care policy.
5. The care is required to be provided under the requirements of s. Ins 9.35, Wis. Adm. Code. B. “OPT-OUT” HOLD HARMLESS.
If the conditions described in A do not apply, the provider will be subject to the statutory hold harmless unless the provider files timely election with OCI to be exempt if the health care meets any of the following:
1. Provided by a hospital or an IPA.
2. A physician service, or other provider services, equipment, supplies or drugs that are ancillary or incidental to such services and are provided under a contract with the HMO insurer or are provided by a provider selected by the HMO insurer.
3. Provided by a provider, other than a hospital, under a contract with or through membership in an IPA that has not elected to be exempt. Note that only the IPA may file election to exempt care provided by its member providers from the statutory hold harmless. (See Exemptions and Elections, No. 4.)
C. “OPT-IN” HOLD HARMLESS.
If a provider of health care is not subject to the conditions described in A or B, the provider may elect to be subject to the statutory hold-harmless provisions by filing a notification with OCI stating that the provider elects to be subject with respect to any specific HMO insurer. A provider may terminate such a notice of election by stating the termination date in that notice or in a separate notification.
CONDITIONS NOT AFFECTING IMMUNITY
An enrollee’s immunity under the statutory hold harmless is not affected by any of the following:
1. Any agreement entered into by a provider, an HMO insurer, or any other person, whether oral or written, purporting to hold the enrollee liable for costs (except a notice of election or termination permitted under the statute).
2. A breach of or default on any agreement by the HMO insurer, an IPA, or any other person to compensate the provider for health care costs for which the enrollee is not liable.
3. The insolvency of the HMO insurer or any person contracting with the HMO insurer, or the commencement of insolvency, delinquency or bankruptcy proceedings involving the HMO insurer or other persons which would affect compensation for health care costs for which an enrollee is not liable under the statutory hold harmless.
4. The inability of the provider or other person who is owed compensation to obtain compensation for health care costs for which the enrollee is not liable.
5. Failure by the HMO insurer to provide notice to providers of the statutory hold-harmless provisions.
6. Any other conditions or agreement existing at any time.
EXEMPTIONS AND ELECTIONS
Hospitals, IPAs, and providers of physician services who may “opt-out” may elect to be exempt from the statutory hold harmless and prohibition on recovery of health care costs under the following conditions and with the following notifications:
1. If the hospital, IPA, or other provider has a written contract with the HMO insurer, the provider must within thirty (30) days after entering into that contract provide a notice to OCI of the provider’s election to be exempt from the statutory hold-harmless and recovery limitations for care under the contract.
2. If the hospital, IPA, or other provider does not have a contract with an HMO insurer, the provider must notify OCI that it intends to be exempt with respect to a specific HMO insurer and must provide that notice for the period January 1, 1990, to December 21, 1990, at least sixty (60) day before the health care costs are incurred; and must provide that notice for health care costs incurred on and after January 1, 1991, at least 90 days in advance.
3. A provider who submits a notice of election to be exempt may terminate that election by stating a termination date in the notice or by submitting a separate termination notice to OCI.
4. The election by an IPA to be exempt from the statutory provisions, or the failure of an IPA to so elect, applies to costs of health care provided by any provider, other than a hospital, under contract with or through membership in the IPA. Such a provider, other than a hospital, may not exercise an election separately from the IPA. Similarly, an election by a clinic to be exempt from the statutory limitations and restrictions or the failure of the clinic to elect to be exempt applies to costs of health care provided by any provider through the clinic. An individual provider may not exercise an election to be exempt separate from the clinic.
5. The statutory hold-harmless “opt-out” provision applies to physician services only if the services are provided under a contract with the HMO insurer or if the physician is a selected provider for the HMO insurer, unless the services are provided by a physician for a hospital, IPA or clinic which is subject to the statutory hold-harmless “opt-out” provision.
NOTICES
All notices of election and termination must be in writing and in accordance with rules promulgated by the Commissioner of Insurance. All notices of election or termination filed with OCI are not affected by the renaming, reorganization, merger, consolidation or change in control of the provider, HMO insurer, or other person. However, OCI may promulgate rules requiring an informational filing if any of these events occur.
Notices to the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance must be written, on the prescribed form, and received at the Office’s current address:
P. O. Box 7873, Madison, WI 53707-7873
HMO INSURER CAPITAL AND SECURITY SURPLUS
Each HMO insurer is required to meet minimum capital and surplus standard (“compulsory surplus requirements”). These standards are higher if the HMO insurer has fewer than 90% of its liabilities covered by the statutory hold-harmless. Specifically, beginning January 1, 1992, the compulsory surplus requirement shall be at least the greater of $750,000 or 6% of the premiums earned by the HMO insurer in the last 12 months if its covered liabilities are less than 90%, or 3% of the premiums earned by the HMO insurer in the last 12 months if its covered liabilities are 90% or more. In addition to capital and surplus, an HMO insurer must also maintain a security surplus in the amount set by the Commissioner of Insurance.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
An HMO insurer is required to file financial statements with OCI. You may request financial statements from the HMO insurer. OCI also maintains files of HMO insurer financial statements that can be inspected by the public.
