Wisconsin Senate Bill SB1100

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/12/26
• Refer: 3/12/26
• Failed: 3/23/26

Caption

An Act to amend 20.145 (1) (g) (intro.); to create 20.145 (1) (g) 4. and 601.59 of the statutes; Relating to: a state-based insurance exchange and making an appropriation. (FE)

Summary

SB1100 would require the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance to establish and operate a state-based health insurance exchange, replacing the state’s current reliance on the federally facilitated exchange. The bill sets a timeline under which Wisconsin would first run the exchange using the federal platform no later than plan year 2029, and then transition to a fully state-run exchange without the federal platform no later than plan year 2030. It also authorizes the commissioner to enter into agreements with the federal government as needed to carry out the transition and operation of the exchange. The bill further directs the commissioner to impose user fees on insurers that offer plans through the exchange. For the period when Wisconsin uses the federal platform, the fee would be 0.5 percent of monthly premiums. For the first two years of a fully state-run exchange, the fee would match the federal exchange fee for that year, and after that the commissioner would set the rate by rule. The bill also makes a related appropriation change so that money received under the new exchange statute is credited to the insurance program operations appropriation.

Impact

SB1100 would amend Wisconsin’s insurance statutes by creating s. 601.59 and modifying the general program operations appropriation in s. 20.145 to support exchange operations. It would shift the state from a federally facilitated marketplace to a state-based exchange structure, first on the federal platform and then independently, which would change how exchange administration, funding, and fee-setting are handled under state law. The bill would also create a new revenue stream from insurer user fees and authorize OCI to manage those funds for exchange-related operations.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded votes, or other debate, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to summarize. Based on the bill’s introduction and structure, it appears to be a policy proposal aimed at increasing state control over health insurance marketplace operations rather than a measure with publicly recorded bipartisan or partisan debate in the provided materials. The bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

Contention

The main policy issue raised by the bill is the move away from the federal HealthCare.gov exchange toward a Wisconsin-run exchange, which can implicate administrative cost, implementation risk, and the state’s readiness to assume full operational responsibility. Another likely point of contention is the user-fee structure: insurers would pay a state-imposed fee, and after the initial transition period the commissioner would set the rate by rule, which could affect premium pricing and market participation. Because no discussion transcript is provided, specific supporters and opponents are not identified in the record.