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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 616
BY REPRESENTATIVE BARROW
HEALTH/DHH: Allows DHH to create a pilot program to provide preterm labor
management services for Medicaid-eligible women with high risk pregnancies
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 46:972.1, relative to preterm labor; to allow the Department of Health and2
Hospitals to create a pilot program to provide preterm labor management services3
to Medicaid-eligible women with high-risk pregnancies; to require the department4
to seek necessary Medicaid waivers to implement the program; to provide for the5
termination of the program; and to provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 46:972.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 8
ยง972.1. Preterm labor pilot program; duties of the Department of Health and9
Hospitals10
A. The Department of Health and Hospitals may work in conjunction with11
the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality to12
create a pilot preterm labor management program, referred to in this Section as13
"program", for high-risk pregnancies of Medicaid-eligible women in Louisiana. The14
program shall be designed to identify, at a maximum, two hundred women who are15
Medicaid-eligible and have a potential for high-risk pregnancies. The program shall16
also conduct a study to determine how many high-risk pregnancies occur among the17
illegal alien population who are in the program.18
B. The program is intended to demonstrate improved birth outcomes and19
reduce costs associated with complicated pregnancies, preterm births, and low birth20 HLS 10RS-1122 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 616
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weight babies. The program may also demonstrate reduced neonatal intensive care1
unit hospital stays.2
C. The program may include but not be limited to the use of preconception3
and inter-conception counseling, risk assessment, patient education, weight4
management, case management, home nurse visits, home uterine activity monitoring,5
subcutaneous terbutaline infusion pump therapy, telemedicine, use of off-label drugs,6
and other evidence-based strategies which have a scientific basis. Special attention7
may be paid to pregnancy conditions which lead to preterm delivery, including8
pregnancy-induced hypertension, diabetes, nausea, vomiting in pregnancy, stress,9
and coagulation disorders.10
D. All services shall require pre-authorization by a licensed physician and11
pre-certification by Medicaid.12
E. The Department of Health and Hospitals shall seek federal Medicaid13
waivers necessary to implement this program.14
F. This Section shall cease to be effective after December 31, 2013.15
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Barrow HB No. 616
Abstract: Allows the Dept. of Health and Hospitals (DHH) to create a pilot program to
provide preterm labor management services for Medicaid-eligible women with high-
risk pregnancies in La.
Proposed law allows DHH to create a pilot program, in conjunction with the La.
Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality, to provide preterm labor
management services for up to 200 Medicaid-eligible women with high-risk pregnancies.
Proposed law requires the program to conduct a study to determine how many high-risk
pregnancies occur among the illegal alien population who are in the program.
Proposed law provides that the program is intended to demonstrate improved birth outcomes
and reduce costs associated with complicated pregnancies, preterm births, and low birth
weight babies. Further provides that the program may demonstrate reduced neonatal
intensive care unit hospital stays.
Proposed law provides that the pilot program may include an array of services, including but
not limited to the use of preconception and inter-conception counseling, risk assessment,
patient education, weight management, case management, home nurse visits, subcutaneous HLS 10RS-1122 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 616
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
terbutaline infusion pump therapy, telemedicine, off-label drugs, and other evidence-based
strategies which have a scientific basis.
Proposed law requires that all services have pre-authorization by a physician and pre-
certification by Medicaid.
Proposed law requires DHH to seek any federal Medicaid waivers necessary to implement
the pilot program.
Proposed law provides that the program will cease after Dec. 31, 2013.
(Adds R.S. 46:972.1)