Wisconsin Administrative Code Department of Health Services
Here’s an overview of the Wisconsin Administrative Code — Department of Health Services (DHS):
📘 What is the DHS Administrative Code?
The Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapters DHS 1–199, consists of rules and regulations issued by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services under authority granted by various state statutes (particularly ss. 227.11 and related chapters). These rules cover:
DHS 1–19 — Management, technology, strategic finance, recoupment of benefits, etc. (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, law.cornell.edu)
DHS 30–100 — Community services, including standards for substance-use prevention/treatment (DHS 75) and patient rights/grievance (DHS 94) (law.cornell.edu)
DHS 101–109 — Medical assistance (Medicaid), covered services, billing limits, confidentiality (DHS 104, DHS 107) (regulations.justia.com)
DHS 110–199 — Public health, environmental health, professional qualifications (DHS 132–139), communicable disease surveillance (DHS 145) (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
DHS 250 — Economic support services (regulations.justia.com)
How These Rules Work
Promulgation Authority
Rules are created through a structured process defined in Wis. Stat. § 227 and Executive Orders. DHS must obtain Governor approval to initiate rule-making, then submit final drafts to the Legislature for review before adoption (dhs.wisconsin.gov).
Purpose & Scope
Each chapter specifies its authority and intent (e.g., recoupment procedures in DHS 2.01 or standards for community substance-use services in DHS 75.01) (law.cornell.edu).
Updates
The DHS Code is updated quarterly. Official and current texts are available on the Wisconsin Legislature site (e.g. docs.legis.wisconsin.gov). Third-party sites (like Justia) may lag behind (regulations.justia.com).
Notable Chapters & Examples
DHS 2 — Handles recoupment of incorrectly paid benefits, such as Medicaid overpayments (law.cornell.edu).
DHS 75 — Sets community substance-use prevention and treatment standards, as authorized by various statutes; updated effective Oct 1, 2022 (law.cornell.edu).
DHS 94 — Governs patient rights and grievance procedures; for instance, DHS 94.05 outlines conditions for limiting or denying patient rights with due process (law.cornell.edu).
DHS 107 — Relates to medical assistance covered services and limitations, including telehealth, cost‑sharing, prior authorization (regulations.justia.com).
DHS 139 — Defines qualifications for public health professionals at local health departments (regulations.justia.com).
DHS 145 — Overseeing communicable disease surveillance systems in Wisconsin (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov).
Where to Access the Code
Official source: Wisconsin Legislature’s “Administrative Code – DHS” site provides the most current chapters, organized by topic (DHS 1–19, 30–100, 101–109, etc.) (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov).
DHS rules page: The Wisconsin DHS site maintains a “Current Rules” page with summaries and status of active rule-making (dhs.wisconsin.gov).
Why It Matters
These administrative rules guide how the DHS operates and how providers, local agencies, and individuals interact with the system. They dictate:
eligibility and billing for medical assistance
licensing and certification standards
patient rights and grievance mechanisms
standards for public health workforce and communicable disease control
substance-use treatment parameters, benefit recoupment, and more
Need More Info?
If you're looking for a specific chapter, rule, or how a particular provision applies (e.g., Medicaid billing, patient rights, or public health licensing), just let me know—I can pull direct text, summarize sections, or guide you to the exact code.
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