This bill requires school districts to include education about fentanyl and the use of opioid antagonists in their official educational goals. It amends existing state law to add specific awareness of fentanyl and naloxone to the list of required drug abuse prevention topics. The changes would first apply to the 2026-27 school year, ensuring students receive information about these specific opioid-related issues as part of their health education curriculum.
This bill creates a new state tax credit to help Wisconsin residents pay for health insurance premiums. It allows individuals who purchase qualified health plans to claim a credit on their state income tax return for the amount they would have received under federal premium assistance rules between 2021 and 2025. The credit is available only to full-year state residents who file their own tax returns and cannot be claimed if the taxpayer already qualifies for similar federal assistance. The legislation also authorizes state funds to pay any portion of the credit that exceeds the taxpayer's state tax liability.
This bill expands eligibility for the Medical Assistance program to include parents or caretakers of dependent children and adults under 65 whose family income falls between 101 and 133 percent of the poverty line. The legislation requires the state insurance commissioner to seek federal approval for these new eligibility categories, and the program changes would only take effect if the federal government grants permission. If federal approval is not obtained, individuals meeting these new criteria would not qualify for benefits. The expanded eligibility provisions are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2029, if approved.
This bill establishes legal rights for individuals to access fertility treatments, including egg and sperm preservation, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and related medications, while also protecting health care providers and insurance companies from interference when delivering these services. It creates a reimbursement mechanism for fertility treatments under the state's Medical Assistance program, though payment is contingent on federal approval or the absence of required federal waivers. The legislation defines fertility treatment broadly to include genetic testing, gamete donation, and other services aligned with American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines, and grants individuals rights to make decisions about their reproductive genetic material. Additionally, the bill provides legal recourse through civil actions for individuals, providers, or manufacturers whose rights are violated, with courts authorized to award equitable relief and litigation costs.
This bill establishes a new basic health plan for individuals with household incomes below 200 percent of the poverty line and creates a purchase option program allowing eligible people with higher incomes to buy coverage through the state program instead of private insurance. The program would offer benefits similar to existing state coverage, include tax credits for eligible participants, and set premium rates comparable to managed care plans while requiring federal waivers to implement. It also directs the creation of a state-based insurance exchange where individuals can access these purchase options and grants officials authority to create rules needed for implementation. The bill requires a report on federal waiver status and economic analyses by March 2027 before the program can be fully launched.
This bill creates a new Office of the Public Intervenor within the state insurance commissioner's office to help individuals navigate insurance claim denials for medical procedures, medications, and other health services. The office would be funded through assessments on insurance companies based on their disability insurance premium volumes and has authority to conduct audits of insurer claims processing practices. The legislation establishes specific requirements for how insurers must handle claim denials, including providing detailed explanations with policy citations, setting time limits for processing claims, and requiring transparency when using artificial intelligence in decision-making. Additionally, the bill prohibits several unfair practices such as using vague policy terms, stalling reviews, or denying claims without reviewing all relevant medical records.
This bill requires unregulated pregnancy centers to obtain written authorization from individuals before disclosing their personal health information, with specific requirements for what the authorization must include and how long it remains valid. The law defines unregulated pregnancy centers as facilities that do not provide abortions or emergency contraception and are not covered by existing medical privacy laws, while also establishing rules for when information can be shared without consent, such as for legal compliance or law enforcement cooperation. Centers must notify individuals if their health data is breached and face penalties for violating these privacy protections, while also being prohibited from discriminating against people who refuse to authorize information sharing. The bill creates a new section in the state statutes to establish these requirements and specifies that the law takes effect three months after publication.
This bill would ban the sale and distribution of products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals, starting with specific categories like food packaging, cookware, and children's products by January 1, 2032, and expanding to all products by January 1, 2038, unless the chemical use is deemed unavoidable for public health or safety. Manufacturers would be required to submit detailed information about their PFAS-containing products to the state department, and the department could require testing to verify compliance. The law includes exemptions for products regulated by federal law, firefighting foam, used products, and medical devices, and imposes a penalty of $100 per violating product for each day the violation continues.
This bill requires health insurance plans and self-insured state and local health plans to cover vaccines for children from birth to age six that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the CDC withdraws a vaccine recommendation, the bill mandates that these plans continue to cover the vaccine based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of Family Physicians. The legislation also directs the state immunization program to consider recommendations from these medical organizations when deciding which diseases to target for elimination. Additionally, the bill requires healthcare providers to maintain records of vaccine administration, including the manufacturer, lot number, and administering provider information.
This bill requires health insurance plans and self-insured programs to stop using the Salzmann Evaluation Index alone when deciding whether to cover treatment for severe misalignment or malocclusion of teeth. It directly affects dental coverage under disability insurance policies, self-insured plans, limited service health organizations, preferred provider plans, and defined network plans. The law mandates that these plans must consider additional factors beyond the index when making prior authorization decisions for orthodontic treatments. The changes apply to policy years starting after the law takes effect, with specific timing for plans affected by collective bargaining agreements.
