The original instrument was prepared by Jay Lueckel. The following digest, which
does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared by Martha
Hess.
DIGEST
Mills (SB 355)
Proposed constitutional amendment provides for the stabilization of the budget for the Medicaid
program, other Department of Health and Hospitals agencies and facilities, and the Louisiana
Workforce Commission's rehabilitation services program.
Proposed constitutional amendment requires the legislature to annually appropriate the funds
necessary to provide for Medicaid program reimbursement rates to providers, excluding the rates
for provider groups that pay fees or assessments that are deposited in fund established by
constitution, that are no less than the average Medicaid program rates established for FY
2013-2014. Further, the proposed constitutional amendment provides that Medicaid program
reimbursement rates may be adjusted annually by inflation or rebasing and such adjustments shall
not be negative.
Proposed constitutional amendment also provides for reductions in Medicaid program
reimbursement rates to satisfy a budget deficit only if the following occur:
(1)The reduction does not exceed the average reduction of those made to the appropriations
and reimbursements for other providers under the Medicaid program; and
(2)If the legislature is in session, the reduction shall receive written consent of two-thirds of
the elected members of each house in a manner provided by law, or if the legislature is
not in session, the reduction is approved by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members
of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
Proposed constitutional amendment requires the legislature to annually appropriate the funds
necessary to provide funding for the Department of Health and Hospitals' agencies and Louisiana
Workforce Commission's rehabilitation services that is no less than the appropriation for these
agencies and services in FY 2013-2014.
Proposed constitutional amendment further provides for reductions to the appropriation for these
health care and rehabilitation programs to satisfy a budget deficit only if the following occur:
(1)The reductions are proportionally equivalent among all agencies provided for the
constitutional amendment; and
(2)If the legislature is in session, the reductions receive written consent of two-thirds of the
elected members of each house in a manner provided by law, or if the legislature is not in
session, the reduction is approved by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held
November 4, 2014.
(Adds Const. Art. VII, Sec. 10.13)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Finance to the original bill
1. Technical amendments.