SB111,1783,17 (b) The department of health services may promulgate emergency rules under s. 227.24 to implement par. (a). Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this paragraph remain in effect until the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of the emergency rule, or the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department of health services is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this paragraph as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this paragraph.

SB111,1783,23 (3) Use of cost report data for rate setting. For purposes of determining payments for a facility under s. 49.45 (6m) (am), the department of health services may use data other than data from calendar year 2020 or calendar year 2021 if the department of health services determines that calendar year 2020 or calendar year 2021 are not appropriate bases for prospective rate setting due to fluctuations in costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SB111,1784,3 (4) Centralized drug repository. The department of health services shall study and implement a centralized physical drug repository program under s. 255.056.

SB111,1784,10 (5) Community-based psychosocial services. The department of health services may promulgate rules, including amending rules promulgated under s. 49.45 (30e) (b), update Medical Assistance program policies, and request any state plan amendment or waiver of federal Medicaid law from the federal government necessary to provide reimbursement to providers who are not county-based providers for psychosocial services provided to Medical Assistance recipients under s. 49.45 (30e).

SB111,1784,18 (6) Medical assistance reimbursement rate increase for direct care in personal care agencies. The department of health services shall increase the Medical Assistance rates paid for direct care to agencies that provide personal care services by a budgeted sum of $15,000,000, as the state share of payments, and the matching federal share of payments, in fiscal year 2021-22, and by a budgeted sum of $15,000,000, as the state share of payments, and the matching federal share of payments, in fiscal year 2022-23, to support staff in those agencies who perform direct care.

SB111,1784,19 (7) Direct support professional training pilot program.

SB111,1784,25 (a) In the 2021-23 biennium, the department of health services shall develop and implement a pilot program to provide person-centered direct support professional training to achieve consistent standards of health care practice. The department shall provide identified standards of practice that allow health care providers the flexibility to apply the standards of practice to their existing training while also meeting the needs of patients in both community and facility settings.

SB111,1785,2 (b) Any training developed and implemented under par. (a) shall be consistent with state and federal requirements.

SB111,1785,5 (c) The department of health services shall collaborate with the department of workforce development, the Wisconsin technical college system, and health care providers in developing and implementing the pilot program under this section.

SB111,1785,7 (d) The department of health services shall develop a career plan that describes the steps that lead to potential certification as a nurse aide.

SB111,1785,11 (8) Tailored caregiver assessment and referral pilot program. During fiscal year 2021-22, the department of health services shall conduct a one-year tailored caregiver assessment and referral pilot program as described in the September 2020 report of the governor's task force on caregiving.

SB111,1785,13 (9) Statewide minimum rate band for home and community-based long-term care supports.

SB111,1785,16 (a) The department of health services shall develop a statewide minimum rate band for home and community-based long-term care supports to establish equitable and sustainable minimum rates.

SB111,1785,18 (b) The department of health services shall include in its 2023-25 budget request a proposal to implement the rate band developed under par. (a).

SB111,1786,18 (10) Option to purchase publicly administered coverage. During the 2021-23 fiscal biennium, the department of health services, the office of the commissioner of insurance, or the department of health services in consultation with the office of the commissioner of insurance shall conduct an analysis and actuarial study of the creation of an option for individuals to purchase health coverage that is publicly provided or administered. The analysis under this subsection shall incorporate input from a variety of persons and entities, including consumers, that have an interest in health insurance and health coverage, including Medical Assistance program coverage, and an analysis of any other health care affordability initiatives. If the department of health services or the office of the commissioner of insurance determines that the option to purchase public coverage or any other health care affordability initiatives are feasible, the department or office may submit to the federal government any requests for a waiver of federal law or other federal approval necessary to implement the public coverage option or any other health care affordability initiatives. If the department of health services or office of the commissioner of insurance obtains the necessary federal approval or determines that no federal approval is necessary and if the department or office continues to determine that the option to purchase public coverage or any other health care affordability initiative is feasible, the department or office shall implement the option to purchase public coverage or other health care affordability initiative by January 1, 2025, or earlier if possible, except that if the commissioner of insurance determines the provisions of title I of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, are no longer enforceable, the department or office shall implement the public option or other affordability initiatives by January 1, 2022, or as soon as possible.

SB111,1787,2 (11) Medical Assistance reimbursement for direct care. From the increase in reimbursement paid by the department of health services under the Medical Assistance program to nursing facilities and to intermediate care facilities for persons with an intellectual disability, increase by $15,000,000 as the state share of payments, plus the matching federal share of payments, in fiscal year 2021-22 and by $15,000,000 as the state share of payments, plus the matching federal share of payments, in fiscal year 2022-23 payments to support the staff in those facilities who perform direct care to residents.

SB111,1787,9 (12) Home care provider registry. The department of health services shall conduct a one-year pilot program to create a home care provider registry that supports home and community-based long-term care support programs, clients that pay for home care privately, independent care workers, and vendors of the care service industry. The department of health services shall use a software platform for the registry and shall select a vendor for the software platform using its competitive request-for-proposals procedures.

SB111,1787,14 (13) Initial training for guardians. The grantee selected under s. 46.977 to administer and conduct training shall, no later than one year after the effective date of this subsection and in coordination with the department of health services, develop the content for the initial training to be provided to guardians under s. 54.26 and implement the program.

SB111,1787,20 (14) Surgical quality improvement grant. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (b), the department of health services may award a onetime grant of $335,000 in fiscal year 2021-22 to support surgical quality improvement activities. Notwithstanding ss. 20.001 (3) (a) and 20.002 (1), the department of health services may transfer moneys appropriated for the purpose described under this subsection from fiscal year 2021-22 to fiscal year 2022-23.

SB111,1788,3 (15) Health information exchange. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (b), the department of health services shall provide a grant of $655,000 in fiscal year 2021-22 and a grant of $655,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 to support health information exchange activities. The department of health services may not encumber moneys from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (b) for a grant under this subsection after June 30, 2023. Notwithstanding ss. 20.001 (3) (a) and 20.002 (1), the department may transfer moneys appropriated for the purpose described under this subsection between fiscal years.

SB111,1788,6 (16) Spinal cord injury council; initial appointments. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified for the members of the spinal cord injury council under s. 15.197 (20) (a) (intro.), initial appointments to the council shall be made as follows:

SB111,1788,9 (a) The members appointed under s. 15.197 (20) (a) 1., 3., 5., and 7., or in lieu of those members under s. 15.197 (20) (b), shall be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2024.

SB111,1788,12 (b) The members appointed under s. 15.197 (20) (a) 2., 4., 6., and 8., or in lieu of those members under s. 15.197 (20) (b), shall be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2025.

SB111,1788,19 (17) Black women's health. The department of health services shall award a grant of $500,000 in fiscal year 2021-22 and a grant of $500,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 to an entity to connect and convene efforts between state agencies, public and private sector organizations, and community organizations to support a statewide public health strategy to advance Black women's health. The department of health services may award the grants from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (b).

SB111,1789,2 (18) Crisis urgent care and observation center emergency rules. The department of health services may promulgate rules allowed under s. 51.036 related to crisis urgent care and observation centers as emergency rules under s. 227.24. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department of health services is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

SB111,1789,8 (19) Addiction treatment platform. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (5) (a), the department of health services shall contract in fiscal year 2022-23 for the development of a substance use disorder treatment platform that allows for the comparison of substance use disorder treatment programs in the state. The department of health services may expend no more than $300,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 under this subsection.

SB111,9120 Section 9120. Nonstatutory provisions; Higher Educational Aids Board.

SB111,1789,17 (1) Minnesota-Wisconsin tuition reciprocity agreement. The higher educational aids board shall provide to the designated body representing the state of Minnesota notice of the termination of the agreement under s. 39.47, 2019 stats., with the agreement's termination to become effective on July 1, 2022. The higher educational aids board and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall negotiate new agreements to replace the agreement under s. 39.47, 2019 stats., with these new agreements to become effective on July 1, 2022.

SB111,9121 Section 9121. Nonstatutory provisions; Historical Society.