HLS 10RS-3446 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 240
BY REPRESENTATIVES MILLS, BOBBY BADON, BARRAS, CHAMPAGNE,
CORTEZ, GUILLORY, HARDY, SAM JONES, LANDRY, LEBAS,
MONTOUCET, PERRY, ROBIDEAUX, AND THIERRY AND SENATOR
MICHOT
HEALTH: Creates the Region Four State Hospital Transitioning Task Force to ensure
continuing access by low-income residents to health care services and to optimize
capacity of nonstate community hospitals
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To create and provide for duties of the Region Four State Hospital Transitioning Task Force2
for the purpose of engaging the top administrators of community hospitals in Region3
Four, the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), and the Louisiana State4
University (LSU) Health Care Services Division (HCSD) to develop a plan for5
transitioning the University Medical Center at Lafayette which ensures continuing6
access for low-income residents to primary care, specialty care, and other needed7
community-based services while also optimizing the capacity of nonstate community8
hospitals.9
WHEREAS, the state hospital in Region Four serving the parishes of Lafayette,10
Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion is known as University11
Medical Center at Lafayette; and12
WHEREAS, this hospital should receive a portion of the funding recommended in13
Fiscal Year 2010-2011 for state hospitals operated by LSU for the purpose of offsetting part14
of the loss of federal Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) dollars due to the15
implementation of the DSH Audit Rule; and 16
WHEREAS, the state acknowledges that this and other federal policies suggest that17
the state should develop a plan for transitioning away from the historic role of state hospitals18
to ensure continuing access for low-income residents to primary care, specialty care, and19 HLS 10RS-3446 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 240
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other needed community-based services while also optimizing the capacity of non-state1
community hospitals, including capturing all means of financing available from the federal2
and state levels, as well as any local funding that may be available; and3
WHEREAS, there is a critical need for a plan for transitioning LSU-operated4
hospitals to a role that reduces reliance on the federal DSH program to the extent that federal5
funds are being reduced and which:6
(1) Complements existing inpatient hospital capacity region by region.7
(2) Maintains or expands access to primary care services.8
(3) Complements medical training programs where appropriate.9
(4) Does not transition a hospital when that hospital is a sole community provider10
and there is no other alternative.11
(5) Protects and prioritizes major teaching institutions throughout the state.12
(6) Utilizes waivers or other federal partnerships to enable the state to provide13
matchable DSH dollars for clinic operations and thereby maintain access for low-income14
populations, or as necessary to continue medical education; and 15
WHEREAS, the plan should detail, at a minimum, the current role of the16
LSU-operated hospital in Region Four, including volume of inpatient and outpatient services17
provided by specialty, number of transfers from the LSU hospital to other community-based18
nonstate hospitals by specialty, surgical volumes and emergency department (ED) volumes19
and transfers; and 20
WHEREAS, the plan should also provide information on the nonstate hospital21
capacity in Region Four to absorb such patient volume and funding mechanisms proposed22
for any inpatient services; and23
WHEREAS, further, the plan should detail the percentage breakdown of inpatient24
and emergency department (ED) volumes by payor source for every hospital in Region Four25
in order to determine the current distribution of Medicaid and uninsured volumes so as to26
provide clarity on the incremental volumes that would be absorbed in the region; and27
WHEREAS, a task force approach may provide the proper balance of state and local28
perspectives in identifying and formulating appropriate future health care transitions through29 HLS 10RS-3446 ORIGINAL
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the inclusion of administrators of community hospitals along with officials of DHH and the1
LSU Health Care Services Division. 2
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana hereby creates3
the Region Four State Hospital Transitioning Task Force for the purpose of utilizing the4
expertise of the top administrators of community hospitals in Region Four, the Department5
of Health and Hospitals, and the LSU Health Care Services Division to develop a plan for6
transitioning the LSU hospital in Region Four to ensure continuing access for low-income7
residents to primary care, specialty care and other needed community-based services while8
also optimizing the capacity of nonstate community hospitals.9
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the task force shall be as10
follows:11
(1) The administrators of all hospitals within Region Four, or their designees.12
(2) The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, or his designee.13
(3) The LSU Vice President of Health Care and Medical Education, or his designee.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the chairman of the Senate Committee on15
Finance shall act as chairman for the limited purpose of calling the organizational meeting16
of the task force.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall elect a chairperson and such18
other officers as it determines necessary at its organizational meeting.19
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any official action of the task force shall require20
the affirmative approval of a majority of the quorum present and voting, with a majority of21
the appointed members required for a quorum.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan which is finally adopted by the task23
force for transitioning the LSU hospital in Region 4 shall be adopted by a majority of the24
appointed members of the task force.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall make a written report of its26
recommended plan to the Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee on27
Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, and the House Committee on28
Health and Welfare no later than January 10, 2011.29 HLS 10RS-3446 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 240
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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)]
Mills HCR No. 240
Creates the Region Four State Hospital Transitioning Task Force for the purpose of engaging
the top administrators of community hospitals in Region Four, the Dept. of Health and
Hospitals (DHH), and the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Care Services Division
(HCSD) to develop a plan for transitioning the University Medical Center at Lafayette which
ensures continuing access for low-income residents to primary care, specialty care and other
needed community-based services while also optimizing the capacity of nonstate community
hospitals.
Further provides that the membership of the task force shall be as follows:
(1)The administrators of all hospitals within Region Four, or their designees.
(2)The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, or his designee.
(3)The LSU Vice President of Health Care and Medical Education, or his designee.
Further provides that the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance shall act as chairman
for the limited purpose of calling the organizational meeting of the committee. Further
provides that the task force shall elect a chairperson and such other officers as it determines
necessary at its organizational meeting. Requires that any official action of the task force
shall require the affirmative approval of a majority of the quorum present and voting, a
majority of the appointed members required for a quorum.
Further provides that the plan which is finally adopted by the task force for transitioning the
LSU hospital in Region Four shall be adopted by a majority of the appointed members of the
task force.
Further provides that the task force shall make a written report of its recommended plan to
the Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare, and the House Committee on Health and Welfare no later
than Jan. 10, 2011.