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Wisconsin is looking again at self-insuring state employees, as the state Department of Employee Trust Funds seeks a consultant to study switching more than 200,000 state workers and family members from an HMO model to self-insurance.

A request for proposals by ETF, issued Friday, revives a self-insurance proposition put on hold last year after the Wisconsin State Employees Union and the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans said they oppose it.

Gov. Scott Walker met with health care executives in October to discuss the idea, in which the state would pay benefits directly and assume the risk for losses instead of buying insurance from 18 HMOs from which employees choose.

After the union and health plan association expressed opposition, ETF’s Group Insurance Board tabled the matter in November.

Self-insurance could save the state $20 million, partly by avoiding fees from the Affordable Care Act, but could cost $100 million more, according to reports in 2012 and 2013 by the consulting firm Deloitte.

ETF will accept bids through July 14 for a two-year contract to be issued in September, with benefit recommendations for 2016 due from the consultant six months later and recommendations for 2017 expected in another six months.