HLS 10RS-1122 ENGROSSED
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 616
BY REPRESENTATIVE BARROW
HEALTH/DHH: Provides for preterm labor prevention services
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 46:972.1, relative to preterm labor; to allow the Department of Health and2
Hospitals to create a program to provide preterm labor prevention services to3
Medicaid-eligible women with certain high-risk pregnancies; to require the4
department to seek necessary Medicaid State Plan Amendments or other Centers for5
Medicare and Medicaid Services approvals that are needed to implement the6
program; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 46:972.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 9
ยง972.1. Preterm labor program; duties of the Department of Health and 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 preterm labor prevention program, referred to in this Section as "program",13
for high-risk pregnancies of Medicaid-eligible women in Louisiana. The program14
shall be designed to identify women who are Medicaid-eligible and have a potential15
for high-risk pregnancies, especially women at risk for repeat preterm birth. The16
Department of Health and Hospitals shall conduct a study to determine the program17
impact and if there are any cost savings.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 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 616
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
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, telemedicine, use of 17-OH5
Progesterone, use of off-label drugs, and other evidence-based strategies which have6
a scientific basis. Special attention may be paid to pregnancy conditions which lead7
to a repeat preterm delivery, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, chronic8
hypertension, and diabetes.9
D. All services shall require treatment directed by a licensed physician and10
by Medicaid-approved protocols for treatment.11
E. The Department of Health and Hospitals shall seek federal Medicaid State12
Plan Amendments and other Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval13
necessary to implement this program.14
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not15
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature16
by the governor, as provided in Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If17
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become18
effective on the day following such approval.19
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 program to provide
preterm labor prevention services for Medicaid-eligible women with certain high-
risk pregnancies in La.
Proposed law allows DHH to create a program, in conjunction with the La. Commission on
Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality, to provide preterm labor prevention
services for certain women with high-risk pregnancies, especially women who are at risk of
a repeat preterm birth.
Proposed law requires DHH to conduct a study to determine the program impact and if there
are any cost savings associated with it. HLS 10RS-1122 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 616
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
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, telemedicine,
17-OH Progesterone, off-label drugs, and other evidence-based strategies which have a
scientific basis.
Proposed law requires treatment to be directed by a licensed physician and by Medicaid-
approved protocols for treatment.
Proposed law requires DHH to seek any federal Medicaid State Plan Amendments and other
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval necessary to implement the program.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 46:972.1)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to the
original bill.
1. Changed the program from a preterm labor management pilot program for 200
Medicaid-eligible women to a preterm labor prevention program for certain
Medicaid-eligible women with high-risk pregnancies, especially women who are
at risk of a repeat preterm birth.
2. Deleted the requirement for the program to study how many high-risk
pregnancies occur among the illegal population in the program and replaces it
with a requirement for DHH to conduct a study to determine program impact and
if there are any cost savings.
3. Changed what may be included in the program by deleting use of home uterine
activity monitoring and subcutaneous terbutaline infusion pump therapy and
replaces them with the use of 17-OH Progesterone.
4. Changed the pregnancy conditions that are monitored with special attention.
5. Deleted the provision that all services will require pre-authorization by a licensed
physician and pre-certification by Medicaid and instead provides that all services
in the program will require treatment directed by a licensed physician and by
Medicaid-approved protocols for treatment.
6. Deleted the requirement for DHH to seek federal Medicaid waivers to implement
the program and instead required DHH to seek federal Medicaid State Plan
Amendments and other CMS approvals necessary to implement the program.
7. Deleted the termination date of the program.
8. Provided for the act to be effective upon the governor's signature or upon the
lapse of time for gubernatorial action.