The original instrument was prepared by Christopher D. Adams. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Linda Nugent.
DIGEST
Buffington (SB 76)
Present law provides for the Louisiana Medical Assistance Trust Fund and how monies from the
fund as appropriated by the legislature shall be used and expended under the supervision of the
secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) for the Medicaid program.
Proposed law amends present law to provide for within the fund there shall be segregated sub-
accounts, one for each health care provider group that pays fees pursuant to present law.
Proposed law provides monies collected from each health care provider group shall accrue to the
sub-account of that health care provider group. Proposed law provides monies shall be allocated,
with accompanying federal matching money, to each of the health care provider groups in
proportion to the amount of fees collected in each sub-account, based upon fees established by
DHH pursuant to present law, and such allocation shall be calculated using collections data from
the most recent four quarters where data is available prior to the state fiscal year for which the
allocation will be made.
Proposed law provides the legislature shall be authorized to appropriate as state funds to the
department for use in any fiscal year, all revenues dedicated and deposited into each segregated
sub-account. Proposed law provides such appropriations shall be made for the sole purpose to
obtain federal financial participation in the provision of support to health care provider groups
listed in present law. Proposed law provides any appropriation from the segregated sub-account
for any purpose other than medical assistance payments to health care provider groups listed in
present law shall be void. Appropriations from monies generated by health care provider group
fees, including federal financial participation on those fees, shall be expended as follows:
For the first year commencing July 1, 2013, and fiscal years thereafter, all of such
appropriations in each sub-account shall be used for the purpose of Medicaid
reimbursement payments to the health care provider groups generating those fees listed in
present law.
Proposed law amends present law to provide the monies in the fund shall not be used to displace,
replace, or supplant appropriations from the state general fund for the Medicaid program below
the amount of state general fund appropriations to the agency for the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year.
Proposed law amends present law to provide the state treasurer shall report the status of the fund
and its sub-accounts at least quarterly to the secretary of DHH and the Joint Legislative
Committee on the Budget.
Proposed law amends present law to remove the requirement that use of the monies in the fund shall be limited to those programs for which federal financial participation under Title XIX of the
Social Security Act is available.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 46:2623)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Finance to the original bill
1. Relative to appropriations from the La. Medical Assistance Trust Fund and
monies generated by provider groups which are segregated into sub-accounts,
changes the implementation date from a three year phase-in to full implementation
July 1, 2013.
2. Prohibits using monies in the fund to displace, replace, or supplant appropriations
from the state general fund for the Medicaid program below the amount of such
funds for the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year.
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Removes any reference in the bill to changing the amount of provider fees.
2. Legislative Bureau technical amendments.