Information on the Conversion of
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin filed an Application for a Plan of Conversion with the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance on June 14, 1999. The application proposes to convert Blue Cross from a nonprofit service insurance corporation to a stock insurance corporation. Blue Cross would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Heartland Group, Inc., a yet-to-be-formed stock holding company. Initially, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of United Heartland Group, Inc., would be owned by a charitable public health foundation to be known as Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Public Health Foundation, Inc.
The plan of conversion provides for a charitable public health foundation organized for the purpose of promoting the general health, welfare, and common good of the residents of Wisconsin. If that aspect of the Application for Conversion were approved, the foundation would assure that funds now used to support a nonprofit health insurer would continue to be applied to health care challenges and initiatives. In order to achieve the public interest, the foundation's stock in United Heartland Group, Inc., would be converted to working capital for the foundation pursuant to one or more alternatives including public offerings, private placements, a merger with United Wisconsin Services, Inc., or any combination of such alternatives.
By law, OCI must hold one or more public hearings about the Application for Conversion. Hearing dates and sites have been determined. (Note: you will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the Notice of Hearing and Invitation for Public Comment, which you can download at no cost from Adobe .) During the one or more hearings, members of the public will have an opportunity to present their views on the plan of conversion.
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Correspondence on OCI's Review of the Application for Conversion
Note: You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the correspondence listed below, which you can download at no cost from Adobe .
Response of August 6, 1999
Response of August 17, 1999
Response of September 7, 1999
OCI Letter of October 26, 1999
Response of November 15, 1999
Response of November 15, 1999
OCI Letter of November 10, 1999
OCI Letter of November 23, 1999
OCI Letter of December 7, 1999
Response of December 17, 1999 and Debt Schedule attachment
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United Letters of December 13, 1999
December 13, 1999, Cover Letter
December 13, 1999, Letter
Deutsch Banc Letter of December 21, 1999, to Blue Cross & Blue Shield United and Document/Data Request List
OCI Letter of December 23, 1999
Response of December 29, 1999
Response of January 4, 2000 and Attachments
OCI Letter of February 24, 2000
Response of March 1, 2000
Response of March 8, 2000
Extension Request Letter of September 20, 2000
OCI Response of September 27, 2000, to Extension Request
OCI Letter of September 28, 2000, Reactivating Investment Banker
OCI Letter of October 17, 2000, Concerning Activation of the Public Health Foundation
Blue Cross Request of December 19, 2000, Concerning Foundation Name
OCI Response of December 19, 2000, to Blue Cross Request
OCI Letter of December 28, 2000, Concerning the Status of the Foundation's Activation
Response of January 8, 2001
Response of January 10, 2001
Attachment: Sample Letter to Foundation Board Members
Attachment: Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
Attachment: Amended and Restated Bylaws
Blue Cross Correspondence of January 16, 2001, Requesting Final Approval for the Conversion
Attachments:
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Wisc. United for Health Foundation, Inc.
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Wisconsin United for Health Foundation, Inc.
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Cobalt Corporation
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cobalt Corporation
Voting Trust and Divestiture Agreement
Registration Rights Agreement
OCI Response to Blue Cross January 16, 2001, Filing
OCI March 19, 2001, Response to Blue Cross March 1, 2001, Letter
March 9, 2001, Letter from Foley and Lardner
OCI Letter of March 12, 2001, in Response to Correspondence from Foley and Lardner
Blue Cross Response to OCI Letter of March 12, 2001
Blue Cross Letter of March 16, 2001, with Attachments
Letter from Michael, Best and Friedrich Regarding the Registration Rights Agreement
Revised Loan Agreement
Revised Promissory Note
Letter from Mr. Mark Sabin
Response from Foley and Lardner Concerning Cobalt Bylaw Issues
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cobalt Corporation
Blacklined Version Illustrating Changes
Please contact OCI for any attachments to the letters. You will be charged a fee for copying the information.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Appraisal Committee
State law allows for the Commissioner to appoint an Appraisal Committee to assist her in evaluating certain aspects of the conversion application.
On August 20, 1999, Commissioner O'Connell appointed an Appraisal Committee. The members of the Appraisal Committee are Mark Femal, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund, Patricia Lipton, Executive Director of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, and Randy Blumer, Deputy Insurance Commissioner. Gary Strohm, who was listed in the August 20, 1999, press release as a member of the Committee resigned prior to its first meeting and was replaced by Mr. Femal. Mr. Femal was elected the chairperson of the Appraisal Committee at its November 5 meeting. (August 20, 1999, press release)
Following are the meeting notices, agenda, and minutes of the meetings held by the committee along with the final report of the committee:
Note: You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the correspondence listed below, which you can download at no cost from Adobe .
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Meeting Notices
- November 5, 1999, meeting
- November 24, 1999, meeting
- December 9, 1999, meeting
- December 17, 1999, meeting
- January 14, 2000, meeting
- January 27, 2000, meeting
- February 9, 2000, meeting
- February 10, 2000, meeting
- February 14, 2000, meeting
Agenda
- November 5, 1999, meeting
- November 24, 1999, meeting
- December 9, 1999, meeting
- December 17, 1999, meeting
- January 14, 2000, meeting
- January 27, 2000, meeting
- February 9 and February 10, 2000, meetings
- February 14, 2000, meeting
Minutes
- November 5, 1999, meeting
- November 24, 1999, meeting
- December 9, 1999, meeting
Clarifications to the December 9, 1999, Minutes - December 17, 1999, meeting
- January 14, 2000, meeting
- January 27, 2000, meeting
- February 9 and February 10, 2000, meetings
- February 14, 2000, meeting
Letter to the Appraisal Committee from Applicant
Report
- Letter to Thomas R. Hefty Regarding Submission of Report of the Appraisal Committee for the Conversion of Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin into the Record
- Report of the Appraisal Committee for the Conversion of Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
- Conversion Resource Book
- Commissioner's Statement on the Report from the Appraisal Committee
- Blue Cross Response to Appraisal Committee Report
Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Hearings
OCI held hearings on the conversion of Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin. The administrative hearing was held on the morning of November 29, 1999, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and on February 25, 2000, and March 10, 2000, in Madison, Wisconsin. The public hearing was held on November 29, 1999, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was continued in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, on November 30, 1999.
Note: You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the correspondence listed below, which you can download at no cost from Adobe .
All of the links below open in a new window.
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Administrative Hearing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 29, 1999 - Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Public Hearing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 29, 1999 - Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Public Hearing
UW Stevens Point
November 30, 1999 - Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Administrative Hearing (Prehearing Conference)
Madison, Wisconsin
February 25, 2000 - Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Administrative Hearing
Madison, Wisconsin
March 10, 2000
Open Meeting Notices for the Administrative Hearing
Commissioner's Statement on the Conversion of Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
Commissioner's Answer to the Consumer Group's Appeal
News Release: Commissioner Gives Final Approval to Blue Cross Conversion
Letter of March 19, 2001, Regarding Final Approval
Attachments:
- Amended and Restated Articles and Bylaws of Wisconsin United for Health Foundation, Inc.
- United Wisconsin Services, Inc. Outstanding Shares
- March 14, 2001, Letter From Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company to Wisconsin United for Health Foundation, Inc.
- Affidavits
- March 14, 2001, Letter from American Express Trust Company Regarding Trading of Stock in UWSI
- March 13, 2001, Letter from United Wisconsin Services, Inc., Regarding Trading of Stock in UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan
- March 15, 2001, Letter from Stephen E. Bablitch to Deutsche Banc Regarding Request for Information
- March 9 and February 12, 2001, Interstaff Memos Regarding Hold on Trading in UWS Common Stock
- March 14, 2001, Fairness Opinion of Bear Stearns to Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
- Consent to Jurisdiction Statement Dated March 15, 2001
- March 15, 2001, Letter From Stephen E. Bablitch Regarding Blue Cross Conversion - Commitment to Fund the Wisconsin United for Health Foundation, Inc.
- Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Cobalt Corporation
- Amended and Restated Bylaws of Cobalt Corporation
- Voting Trust and Divestiture Agreement
- Registration Rights Agreement
- Loan and Contribution Agreement Between Wisconsin United for Health Foundation and Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
- Promissory Note Between Wisconsin United for Health Foundation and Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin
- UW Foundation and Wisconsin United for Health Foundation Proposed Agreement
- UW Madison Oversight and Advisory Committee Bylaws
- Bylaws for Medical College of Wisconsin Public Health Committee
- Articles of Incorporation Medical College of Wisconsin Public Health Committee
- Proposed Grant Agreement Between Medical College of Wisconsin and the United for Health Foundation
- Letter from Michael, Best and Friedrich Regarding the Registration Rights Agreement
- Letter from Mr. Mark Sabin Clarifying Trading of Stocks in UWSI
- Foley and Lardner Letter of March 16, 2001, Approval of the Blue Cross Conversion by the BlueCross BlueShield Association
- Letter From Wisconsin United for Health Foundation, Inc., Dated March 14, 2001, Confirming Foundation is Fully Functional
- Letter of Clarification From Stephen E. Bablitch Dated March 19, 2001
- Fairness Opinion of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Dated March 19, 2001
Fairness Opinion of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Dated March 19, 2001
