Chapter 609

609.717 History History: 2017 a. 30.

609.75 609.75 Adopted children coverage. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.896. Coverage of health care services obtained by adopted children and children placed for adoption may be subject to any requirements that the limited service health organization, preferred provider plan, or defined network plan imposes under s. 609.05 (2) and (3) on the coverage of health care services obtained by other enrollees.

609.75 History History: 1989 a. 336; 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.755 609.755 Coverage of dependents. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.885.

609.755 History History: 2009 a. 28.

609.76 609.76 Coverage of student on medical leave. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (15).

609.76 History History: 2007 a. 36.

609.77 609.77 Coverage of breast reconstruction. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (13).

609.77 History History: 1997 a. 27, 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.78 609.78 Coverage of treatment for the correction of temporomandibular disorders. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (11).

609.78 History History: 1997 a. 27, 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.79 609.79 Coverage of hospital and ambulatory surgery center charges and anesthetics for dental care. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (12).

609.79 History History: 1997 a. 27, 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.80 609.80 Coverage of mammograms. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (8). Coverage of mammograms under s. 632.895 (8) may be subject to any requirements that the defined network plan imposes under s. 609.05 (2) and (3) on the coverage of other health care services obtained by enrollees.

609.80 History History: 1989 a. 129; 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.805 609.805 Coverage of contraceptives. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (17).

609.805 History History: 2009 a. 28.

609.81 609.81 Coverage related to HIV infection. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 631.93. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (9).

609.81 History History: 1989 a. 201; 1989 a. 359 s. 389; 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.82 609.82 Coverage without prior authorization for emergency medical condition treatment. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.85.

609.82 History History: 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.83 609.83 Coverage of drugs and devices. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to ss. 632.853, 632.861, and 632.895 (16t) and (16v).

609.83 History History: 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16; 2017 a. 305; 2019 a. 185; 2021 a. 9.

609.837 609.837 Copayment equality for oral and injected chemotherapy. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.867.

609.837 History History: 2013 a. 186.

609.84 609.84 Experimental treatment. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.855.

609.84 History History: 1997 a. 237; 2001 a. 16.

609.846 609.846 Discrimination based on COVID-19 prohibited. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 632.729.

609.846 History History: 2019 a. 185.

609.85 609.85 Coverage of lead screening. Health maintenance organizations and preferred provider plans are subject to s. 632.895 (10).

609.85 History History: 1993 a. 450.

609.86 609.86 Coverage of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and related treatment for infants and children. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (16).

609.86 History History: 2009 a. 14.

609.87 609.87 Coverage of treatment for autism spectrum disorders. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (12m).

609.87 History History: 2009 a. 28.

609.875 609.875 Coverage of colorectal cancer screening. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (16m).

609.875 History History: 2009 a. 346 s. 8; 2011 a. 260 s. 80.

609.88 609.88 Coverage of immunizations. Defined network plans are subject to s. 632.895 (14).

609.88 History History: 1999 a. 115; 2001 a. 16.

609.885 609.885 Coverage of COVID-19 testing. Defined network plans, preferred provider plans, and limited service health organizations are subject to s. 632.895 (14g).

609.885 History History: 2019 a. 185.

609.89 609.89 Written reason for coverage denial. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 631.17.

609.89 History History: 1999 a. 95; 2001 a. 16.

609.90 609.90 Restrictions related to domestic abuse. Limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans are subject to s. 631.95.

609.90 History History: 1999 a. 95; 2001 a. 16.

609.91 609.91 Restrictions on recovering health care costs.

609.91(1) (1) Immunity of enrollees and policyholders. Except as provided in sub. (1m) or (1p), an enrollee or policyholder of a health maintenance organization insurer is not liable for health care costs that are incurred on or after January 1, 1990, and that are covered under a policy or certificate issued by the health maintenance organization insurer, if any of the following applies:

609.91(1)(a) (a) The health care is provided by a provider who satisfies any of the following:

609.91(1)(a)1. 1. Is an affiliate of the health maintenance organization insurer.

609.91(1)(a)2. 2. Owns at least 5 percent of the voting securities of the health maintenance organization insurer.

609.91(1)(a)3. 3. Is entitled, alone or with one or more affiliates, to solely select one or more board members of the health maintenance organization insurer, or has an affiliate that is entitled to solely select one or more board members of the health maintenance organization insurer.

609.91(1)(a)4. 4. Is entitled to have one or more board members of the health maintenance organization insurer serve exclusively as a representative of the provider, one or more of the provider’s affiliates or the provider and its affiliates, except this subdivision does not apply to an individual practice association or an affiliate of an individual practice association.

609.91(1)(a)5. 5. Is an individual practice association that is represented, or its affiliate is represented, on the board of the health maintenance organization insurer, and at least 3 of the board members of the health maintenance organization represent one or more individual practice associations.

609.91(1)(am) (am) The health care is provided by a provider under a contract with, or through membership in, a person who satisfies par. (a) 1., 2., 3., 4. or 5.

609.91(1)(b) (b) The health care is provided by a provider who is not subject to par. (a) or (am) and who does not elect to be exempt from this paragraph under s. 609.92, and the health care satisfies any of the following:

609.91(1)(b)1. 1. Is provided by a hospital or an individual practice association.

609.91(1)(b)2. 2. Is physician services provided under a contract with the health maintenance organization insurer or by a participating provider of the health maintenance organization insurer.

609.91(1)(b)3. 3. Is services, equipment, supplies or drugs that are ancillary or incidental to services described in subd. 2. and are provided by the contracting provider or participating provider.

609.91(1)(c) (c) The health care is provided by a provider who is not subject to par. (a), (am) or (b) with regard to that health care and who elects under s. 609.925 to be subject to this paragraph.

609.91(1)(d) (d) The liability is for the portion of health care costs that exceeds the amount that the health maintenance organization insurer has agreed, in a contract with the provider of the health care, to pay the provider for that health care.

609.91(1m) (1m) Immunity of medical assistance recipients. An enrollee, policyholder or insured under a policy issued by an insurer to the department of health services under s. 49.45 (2) (b) 2. to provide prepaid health care to medical assistance recipients is not liable for health care costs that are covered under the policy.

609.91(1p) (1p) Immunity for certain medicare recipients. An enrollee, policyholder, or insured under a policy issued by an insurer under Part C of Medicare under 42 USC 1395w-21 to 1395w-28 or Part D of Medicare under 42 USC 1395w-101 to 1395w-152 to provide prepaid health care, fee-for-service health care, or drug benefits to enrollees of Part C or Part D of Medicare is not liable for health care costs that are covered under the policy.

609.91(2) (2) Prohibited recovery attempts. No person may 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, policyholder or insured, or any person acting on their behalf, for health care costs for which the enrollee, policyholder or insured, or person acting on their behalf, is not liable under sub. (1), (1m), or (1p).

609.91(3) (3) Deductibles, copayments and premiums. Subsections (1) to (2) do not affect the liability of an enrollee, policyholder or insured for any deductibles, copayments or premiums owed under the policy or certificate issued by the health maintenance organization insurer or by the insurer described in sub. (1m) or (1p).

609.91(4) (4) Conditions not affecting the immunity. The immunity of an enrollee, policyholder or insured for health care costs, to the extent of the immunity provided under this section and ss. 609.92 to 609.935, is not affected by any of the following:

609.91(4)(a) (a) An agreement, other than a notice of election or termination of election in accordance with s. 609.92 or 609.925, entered into by the provider, the health maintenance organization insurer, the insurer described in sub. (1m) or (1p) or any other person, at any time, whether oral or written and whether implied or explicit, including an agreement that purports to hold the enrollee, policyholder or insured liable for health care costs.

609.91(4)(b) (b) A breach of or default on an agreement by the health maintenance organization insurer, the insurer described in sub. (1m) or (1p) or any other person to compensate the provider, directly or indirectly, for health care costs, including health care costs for which the enrollee, policyholder or insured is not liable under sub. (1), (1m), or (1p).

609.91(4)(c) (c) The insolvency of the health maintenance organization insurer or any person contracting with the health maintenance organization insurer or provider, or the commencement or the existence of conditions permitting the commencement of insolvency, delinquency or bankruptcy proceedings involving the health maintenance organization insurer or other person, including delinquency proceedings, as defined in s. 645.03 (1) (b), under ch. 645, despite whether the health maintenance organization insurer or other person has agreed to compensate, directly or indirectly, the provider for health care costs for which the enrollee or policyholder is not liable under sub. (1).

609.91(4)(cm) (cm) The insolvency of the insurer described in sub. (1m) or (1p) or any person contracting with the insurer or provider, or the commencement or the existence of conditions permitting the commencement of insolvency, delinquency or bankruptcy proceedings involving the insurer or other person, including delinquency proceedings, as defined in s. 645.03 (1) (b), under ch. 645, despite whether the insurer or other person has agreed to compensate, directly or indirectly, the provider for health care costs for which the enrollee, policyholder or insured is not liable under sub. (1m) or (1p).

609.91(4)(d) (d) The inability of the provider or other person who is owed compensation for health care costs to obtain compensation from the health maintenance organization insurer, the insurer described in sub. (1m) or (1p), or any other person for health care costs for which the enrollee, policyholder or insured is not liable under sub. (1), (1m), or (1p).

609.91(4)(e) (e) The failure of a health maintenance organization insurer to comply with s. 609.94.

609.91(4)(f) (f) Any other conditions or agreements, other than a notice of election or termination of election in accordance with s. 609.92 or 609.925, existing at any time.

609.91 History History: 1989 a. 23; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 1997 a. 237; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 342.

609.91 Annotation Sections 609.01 and 609.91 do not prohibit HMOs from asserting contractual subrogation rights with respect to actual medical expenses incurred by an HMO for medical care covered by the HMO’s contract with an enrollee. This section is replete with language immunizing enrollees and limiting their liability, but does not speak to the sources of funds available to HMOs, except to the extent that it limits funds HMOs may obtain from enrollees. Torres v. Dean Health Plan, Inc. 2005 WI App 89, 282 Wis. 2d 725, 698 N.W.2d 107, 03-3274.

609.92 609.92 Hospitals, individual practice associations and providers of physician services.

609.92(1) (1) Election of exemption. Except as provided in s. 609.93, a hospital, an individual practice association or other provider described in s. 609.91 (1) (b) may elect to be exempt from s. 609.91 (1) (b) for the purpose of recovering health care costs arising from health care provided by the hospital, individual practice association or other provider, if the conditions under sub. (2) or (3), whichever is applicable, are satisfied.

609.92(2) (2) Care provided under a contract. If the health care is provided under a written contract between a health maintenance organization insurer and the hospital, individual practice association or other provider, all of the following conditions must be met for the hospital, individual practice association or other provider to secure an exemption under sub. (1):

609.92(2)(a) (a) The contract must be in effect on the date that the health care is provided, and the health care must be provided in accordance with the terms of the contract.

609.92(2)(b) (b) The hospital, individual practice association or other provider must, within 30 days after entering into the contract, deliver to the office a written notice stating that the hospital, individual practice association or other provider elects to be exempt from s. 609.91 (1) (b). The notice shall comply with the rules, if any, promulgated under s. 609.935.

609.92(3) (3) Care provided without a contract. If the health care is not provided under a contract that satisfies sub. (2), all of the following conditions must be met for the hospital, individual practice association or other provider to secure an exemption under sub. (1):

609.92(3)(a) (a) The hospital, individual practice association or other provider must deliver to the office a notice stating that the hospital, individual practice association or other provider elects to be exempt from s. 609.91 (1) (b) with respect to a specified health maintenance organization insurer. The notice shall comply with the rules, if any, promulgated under s. 609.935.

609.92(3)(b) (b) If the health care is provided on or after January 1, 1990, and before January 1, 1991, the health care must be provided at least 60 days after the office receives the notice under par. (a).

609.92(3)(c) (c) If the health care is provided on or after January 1, 1991, the health care must be provided at least 90 days after the office receives the notice under par. (a).

609.92(4) (4) Termination of election. A hospital, individual practice association or other provider may terminate its election under sub. (2) or (3) by stating the termination date in the notice under sub. (2) or (3) or in a separate written termination notice filed with the office. The termination notice shall comply with the rules, if any, promulgated under s. 609.935. The termination is effective for any health care costs incurred after the termination date specified in the notice or the date on which the notice is filed, whichever is later.

609.92(5) (5) Provider of physician services. A provider who is not under contract with a health maintenance organization insurer and who is not a participating provider of a health maintenance organization insurer is not subject to s. 609.91 (1) (b) 2. with respect to health care costs incurred by an enrollee of that health maintenance organization insurer.

609.92 History History: 1989 a. 23; 1997 a. 237.

609.925 609.925 Election to be subject to restrictions.

609.925(1) (1) Notice of election. Except as provided in s. 609.93, a provider described in s. 609.91 (1) (c) is subject to s. 609.91 (1) (c) for purposes of recovering health care costs arising from health care provided by the provider, if the provider files with the office a written notice stating that the provider elects to be subject to s. 609.91 (1) (c) with respect to a specified health maintenance organization insurer. The notice shall comply with the rules, if any, promulgated under s. 609.935. The notice is effective on the date that it is received by the office or the date specified in the notice, whichever is later.

609.925(2) (2) Termination of election. A provider may terminate a notice of election under sub. (1) by stating the termination date in the notice of election or in a separate written termination notice filed with the office. The termination notice shall comply with the rules, if any, promulgated under s. 609.935. The termination date may not be earlier than 90 days after the office receives notice of termination, whether included in the notice of election or in a separate termination notice.