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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Assembly Bill 553

Matching financial records for Medical Assistance eligibility and providing a penalty

Topics: Financial institution, Health Services, Department of: Supportive living and treatment, Medical assistance, Privacy

Stopped in committee

It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 10, 2012

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.

  3. Assembly vote, not reached

  4. Senate vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It sat with the Assembly Committee on Insurance.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, the Department of Health Services (DHS) administers the Medical Assistance (MA) program, under which DHS, among other things, provides health care benefits to low-income families and individuals. Federal law requires each state to implement an asset verification program for purposes of determining eligibility for MA. This bill requires DHS to operate a financial record matching program (program) for MA applicants and recipients for whom asset verification is required for eligibility for MA. Under the program, financial institutions in this state must enter into agreements with DHS to participate in a financial institution matching option or a state matching option. DHS must pay such a financial institution up to $125 per calendar quarter for participating.

Under the financial institution matching option, at least once every calendar quarter DHS sends information to the financial institution, including names, addresses, and social security numbers, about MA applicants, recipients, and other individuals whose resources are required by law to be disclosed to determine the eligibility of an MA applicant or recipient. The financial institution determines whether any MA applicant, recipient, or other individual has an ownership interest in an account at the financial institution and, if so, sends DHS information about the account, such as the type, number, and balance.

Read the full summary

Under the state matching option, at least once every calendar quarter the financial institution sends DHS information about accounts maintained at the financial institution, including the name and social security number of each person having an ownership interest in each account. On the basis of that information, DHS determines whether any MA applicant, recipient, or other individual has an ownership interest in an account at the financial institution and, if so, may request further information from the financial institution, including the person's address of record and the account balance.

The bill prohibits DHS from disclosing or retaining information concerning account holders who are not MA applicants, recipients, or other individuals;

prohibits employees, agents, officers, and directors of financial institutions from disclosing or retaining information concerning MA applicants, recipients, or other individuals; and prohibits both DHS and financial institutions from using any information received under the program for any purpose not related to the program or administering MA. The bill provides penalties for any employee, agent, officer, or director of a financial institution who violates any of the prohibitions. The bill also provides that a financial institution is not liable for disclosing financial information, or taking other action, in compliance with the program.

The Department of Children and Families operates a similar financial record matching program with financial institutions for individuals who are obligated to pay court-ordered child support.

Who's behind it

17 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 17 are Republicans.

3 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 20 names

Authors (17)

Signed on in support (3)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2012

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 1, 2012

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  3. Feb 23, 2012

    The committee held a public hearing.

  4. Feb 13, 2012

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  5. Feb 13, 2012

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  6. Feb 10, 2012

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Insurance.

  7. Feb 10, 2012

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 10, 2012 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Nygren, Ballweg, Bies, Jacque, Kaufert, Knudson, LeMahieu, Marklein, A. Ott, Rivard, Petersen, Severson, Steineke, Strachota, Van Roy, Wynn and Vos;Cosponsored by Senators Lasee and Cowles

  2. Feb 10, 2012 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Insurance

  3. Feb 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 13, 2012 · Assembly

    Senator Galloway added as a cosponsor

  5. Feb 23, 2012 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Mar 1, 2012 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary