185.981(5) (5) Every such cooperative association is a charitable and benevolent corporation.

185.981(6) (6) Every cooperative sickness care association organized under this section shall provide coverage for newborn infants as required under s. 632.895 (5).

185.981(7) (7) Notwithstanding sub. (4) and s. 185.982 (1), a sickness care plan that is operated by a cooperative association and that qualifies as a health maintenance organization, as defined in s. 609.01 (2), is subject to s. 609.655.

185.981(8) (8) A sickness care plan operated by a cooperative association is subject to s. 632.895 (8). Coverage of mammograms under s. 632.895 (8) may be subject to any requirements that the sickness care plan imposes under s. 609.05 (2) and (3) on the coverage of other health care services obtained by members and their dependents.

185.981(9) (9) Every cooperative sickness care association organized under this section that provides coverage for dependent children of members shall provide coverage for adopted children and children placed for adoption, as required under s. 632.896. Coverage of health care services obtained by adopted children and children placed for adoption may be subject to any requirements that the sickness care plan imposes under s. 609.05 (2) and (3) on the coverage of health care services obtained by other members and their dependents.

185.982(1) (1) No sickness care plan or contract issued thereunder by such cooperative association shall interfere with the manner or mode of the practice of medicine, optometry, chiropractic or dentistry, the relationship of physician, chiropractor, optometrist or dentist and patient, nor the responsibility of physician, chiropractor, optometrist or dentist to patient. A plan may require persons covered to utilize health care providers designated by the cooperative association. The cooperative association may provide health care services directly through providers who are employes of the cooperative association or through agreements with individual providers or groups of providers organized on a group practice or individual practice basis. In making such agreements, no plan may refuse to provide coverage for vision care services or procedures provided by an optometrist licensed under ch. 449 within the scope of the practice of optometry, as defined in s. 449.01 (1), if the plan provides coverage for the same services or procedures when provided by another health care provider.

185.982(2) (2) Any cooperative association operating a voluntary sickness care plan under the provisions of this chapter may pay physicians and surgeons, optometrists, chiropractors or dentists on a salary, per person or fee-for-service basis to provide sickness care to members of such association. Every association shall contract only with its own members for the benefits of any plan which it operates, but any association which operates a hospital may make the facilities thereof available to nonmembers and to nonparticipating physicians, optometrists or dentists.

185.982(3) (3) Promotional expenses of any such associations, including promotional expense for building or investment purposes, shall be limited to 5 per cent as provided in s. 185.09.

185.983(1) (1) Every such voluntary nonprofit sickness care plan shall be exempt from chs. 600 to 646, with the exception of ss. 601.04, 601.13, 601.31, 601.41, 601.42, 601.43, 601.44, 601.45, 611.67, 619.04, 628.34 (10), 631.89, 631.93, 632.72 (2), 632.745, 632.747, 632.749, 632.775, 632.79, 632.795, 632.87 (2m), (3), (4) and (5), 632.895 (5), (9) and (10), 632.896 and 632.897 (10), subch. II of ch. 619 and chs. 609, 630, 635, 645 and 646, but the sponsoring association shall:

185.983(1g) (1g) A cooperative association that is a small employer insurer, as defined in s. 635.02 (8), is subject to the health insurance mandates, as defined in s. 601.423 (1), to the same extent as any other small employer insurer, as defined in s. 635.02 (8).

185.983(1m) (1m) In addition to ss. 601.04, 601.31, 632.79 and 632.895 (5), the commissioner of insurance may by rule subject a medicare supplement policy as defined in s. 600.03 (28r), a medicare replacement policy as defined in s. 600.03 (28p) or a long-term care insurance policy as defined in s. 600.03 (28g) sold by a voluntary nonprofit sickness care plan to other provisions of chs. 600 to 646, except the commissioner may not subject a medicare supplement policy, a medicare replacement policy or a long-term care insurance policy to s. 632.895 (8).

185.983(2) (2) Every such plan shall make provision for a minimum of one physician and surgeon, or dentist to each 2,000 persons covered for medical or dental care and a minimum of 6 hospital beds for each 2,000 persons covered for hospital care.

185.983(3) (3)