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)]
Norton HB No. 759
Abstract: Requires that La. Medicaid eligibility standards conform to those established by the
Affordable Care Act.
Proposed law requires the secretary of the Dept. of Health and Hospitals to take actions on or
before Oct. 1, 2014, as are necessary to cause this state's participation in the expansion of
Medicaid eligibility as provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Provides that such actions
shall include:
(1)Filing the Medicaid state plan amendment necessary to expand eligibility in accordance
with proposed law.
(2)Promulgating all rules and regulations as are necessary to expand Medicaid eligibility in
accordance with proposed law.
Proposed law declares that the purposes of the state in expanding Medicaid eligibility as
provided in proposed law are as follows:
(1)To maximize the number of Louisianians who are covered by some form of health
insurance.
(2)To provide basic health coverage to the working poor of the state who are not offered
insurance through their employer and do not earn enough money to meet basic family
needs and pay for private health insurance.
(3)To assure health care providers who serve low- to moderate-income persons of some
amount of compensation for the care they provide, as the ACA provides for a dramatic
reduction in funding to federal programs which currently finance care for the uninsured as
a means of financing the Medicaid expansion.
(4)To avert the economic and human costs of crises in both access to health care and health
services financing which are likely to result from not participating in the expansion of
Medicaid while other federal sources of financing for medical care for the uninsured and
the indigent are being drastically reduced or eliminated.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action. (Adds R.S. 46:979.11-979.13)