The 2010 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature adjourned sine die on Monday June 21, 2010. The time allowed for a bill to become law without the governor's action is nearing (twenty day post-session) and soon, we will know the status of healthcare measures. Now that the session has ended, attention will turn to the various state agencies regulatory process as they will work within their agencies to implement the newly enacted laws. This column will keep you up-dated on major healthcare public policy matters. DHH began efforts to roll out their coordinated care networks now that the session has ended. This is a major development in healthcare policy in Louisiana.

 

Below is a list of selected measures that have been enacted into law or are awaiting gubernatorial action as of July 7, 2010.   

 

HB 239, Kleckley

Requires each authorized insurer and health maintenance organization to produce and maintain a written insurance anti-fraud plan

6/29/2010

Prefile  

Becomes Act 688; Effective January 1, 2011

 

HB 264, Willmott

Adds certain persons to the Medical Malpractice Act and the Medical Malpractice Act for State Services

6/25/2010

Prefile  

Becomes Act 568; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 312, Smiley

Allows minors at least 16 years of age to donate blood with parental consent

6/8/2010

Prefile  

Becomes Act 145; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 343, Willmott

Provides authority for registered nurses to administer anesthetic doses through perineural catheters

6/17/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 246; Effective June 17, 2010

 

HB 744, Roy

Limits discontinuation or cancellation of health insurance coverage under certain circumstances

6/22/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 484; Effective September 23, 2010

 

HB 813, Katz

Expands the La. State Board of Medical Examiners' authority to assess and collect costs and fines

6/25/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 602; Effective June 25, 2010

 

HB 821, Kleckley

Provides for voluntary wellness or health improvement programs to be offered by health insurance issuers

6/17/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 280; Effective June 17, 2010

 

HB 872, Mills

Allows pharmacists to administer influenza immunizations

6/17/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 287; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 985, White

Establishes the Louisiana Emergency Response Network as the lead agency to govern, develop, and manage a comprehensive statewide trauma system that would address trauma and time-sensitive illness

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 934; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 1159, Greene

Provides relative to fees paid for copying medical records

6/29/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 740; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 1247, Hoffmann

Prohibits coverage of elective abortions by health insurance issuers

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 941; Effective July 2, 2010

 

HB 1286, Ligi

Provides relative to the organization and budget of the Patient's Compensation Fund and the Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight Board

6/21/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 411; Effective July 1, 2010

 

HB 1443, Edwards

Establishes requirements for contracts for the privatization of services currently provided by facilities operated by the Office of Mental Health

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Vetoed by the governor

 

HB 1453, Johnson

Excludes health care providers who perform certain abortions from coverage under the state and private Medical Malpractice Acts

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 950; Effective August 15, 2010

 

HB 1493, Barrow

Establishes requirements for the closure of the Earl K. Long Medical Center and the transfer of certain services to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

6/21/2010         

House  

Enrolled in the House

 

HR 150, Schroder

Urges and requests DHH to create a task force to make recommendations for the establishment of a uniform and reciprocal system of medical vendor credentialing

6/10/2010         

House  

Enrolled in the House

 

HR 176, Nowlin

Urges and requests the Department of Health and Hospitals to study the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Louisiana-based community mental health centers and to report to the House Committee on Health and Welfare by January 1, 2011.

6/17/2010         

House  

Enrolled in the House

 

SB 253, Dorsey

Requires the Department of Health and Hospitals to disseminate information related to the provision of health care services

6/8/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 130; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 514, Murray

Provides relative to the Patient's Compensation Fund and its administration by the Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight Board

6/1/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 78; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 543, Morrish

Creates the Louisiana Mandated Health Benefits Commission and provides for its membership and functions

6/25/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 549; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 563, Cheek

Makes changes to the nursing home reimbursement methodology

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 891; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 683, LaFleur

Requires health insurance issuers to directly pay noncontracted health care providers of emergency services for their usual and customary charges

6/21/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 340; Effective November 15, 2010

 

SB 705, Donahue

Provides for group health insurance coverage involving a trust for multiple associations and members and employees of these associations

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 896; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 710, Cheek

Requires the health insurance issuer to pay any new provider to the contracted network of providers the contracted reimbursement rate of the network

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 897; Effective January 1, 2011

 

SB 732, Hebert

Provides for balance billing disclosure requirements

6/22/2010         

Prefile  

Becomes Act 453; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SB 794, Mount

Provides for an equipment utilization review for proton beam radiotherapy equipment

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 905; Effective July 2, 2010

 

SB 803, Donahue

Create a Coroner's Strategic Initiative for a Health Information and Intervention Program in the office of the Coroner

7/2/2010           

Prefile  

Becomes Act 907; Effective August 15, 2010

 

SCR 18, Donahue

Directs the Louisiana State University - Health Care Services Division to fully implement the recommendations from the Alvarez & Marsal, March 23, 2009, financial and operational assessment of the Interim LSU Public Hosptial

5/20/2010         

Senate 

Enrolled in the Senate