ENROLLED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 193
BY REPRESENTATIVES KLECKLEY AND DANAHAY AND SENATORS JOHNS
AND MORRISH
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To establish the Calcasieu Hospital Council for the purposes of studying the issue of
uncompensated care costs for hospital inpatient and outpatient acute care for
non-rural acute care hospitals in Calcasieu Parish and developing efforts and
solutions to reduce uncompensated care costs for parish hospitals.
WHEREAS, the effort of the state to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement
(CEA) with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital to take over the provision of safety-net hospital
inpatient and outpatient acute care and indigent care formerly provided by W. O. Moss
Regional Medical Center in Lake Charles was the impetus for the closure in June of 2013
of that medical center, which had previously been operated by Louisiana State University
(LSU); and
WHEREAS, to facilitate the transition of safety-net hospital inpatient and outpatient
acute care and indigent care delivery in Lake Charles, the state provided additional
compensation through an enhanced level of Medicaid funding to Lake Charles Memorial
Hospital for providing this care; and
WHEREAS, after the CEA between the state and Lake Charles Memorial Hospital
was effectuated, other non-rural acute care hospitals in Calcasieu Parish, referred to hereafter
as "non-CEA hospitals" experienced a surge in demand for inpatient and outpatient acute
care for which they have received no additional compensation, as they were not parties to
the Medicaid-financed CEA with the state; and
WHEREAS, these circumstances have created an imbalance in Calcasieu Parish in
which non-CEA hospitals are providing uncompensated care at increased and unsustainable
levels; and
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WHEREAS, this imbalance now threatens the financial stability of the non-CEA
hospitals in the parish.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
create the Calcasieu Hospital Council, which shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) The chief executive officer of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital or his designee.
(2) The chief executive officer of Christus St. Patrick Hospital or his designee.
(3) The chief executive officer of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital or his designee.
(4) The chief executive officer of Lake Area Medical Center or his designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the purpose of the council shall be to study the
issue of uncompensated care in Calcasieu Parish on a hospital by hospital basis and to
undertake efforts to develop solutions to take advantage of funding on the local, state, and
federal level to mitigate and reduce uncompensated care costs for the hospitals in the parish.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council is hereby authorized to act by a
majority vote of its members in favor to carry out functions including but not limited to the
following:
(1) Secure the services of a recognized expert in Medicaid health services financing
to facilitate all meetings of the council as well as assist in developing viable options for
increasing funding by leveraging local and state financial resources as called for in this
Resolution.
(2) Secure any other professional services it deems necessary for conducting the
business of the council.
(3) Establish better coordination of indigent care delivered in Calcasieu Parish
between all hospitals, recognizing where reimbursement may be obtained for such delivery
of care.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any expenses of the council for professional
services shall be divided equally among the council members.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council shall meet periodically as deemed
necessary by the council members, and at the direction of its facilitator.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and Hospitals shall,
upon request, provide consultation to the council in the development of the reimbursement
methodology called for in this Resolution.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any methodology or solutions developed
pursuant to this Resolution shall not increase the overall reimbursement for uncompensated
hospital inpatient and outpatient acute care in Calcasieu Parish unless additional non-federal
Medicaid matching funds are identified for that purpose.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council shall submit an update to the
legislature on or before October 1, 2015, concerning development of the methodology and
any other recommended solutions or action items called for in this Resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the council shall submit recommendations to the
legislature on or before January 1, 2016.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
to the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals and to the chief executive officers
of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Christus St. Patrick Hospital, West Calcasieu Cameron
Hospital, and Lake Area Medical Center.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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