2016 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 443
BY SENATOR HEWITT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 39:21.3(E)(2)and (3) and to enact R.S. 39:21.3(E)(4) and (5),
3 relative to the Health and Social Services Estimating Conference; to provide for
4 additional members of the conference; to provide for the chairmanship of the
5 conference; to create a Medicaid Subcommittee; to provide for the composition and
6 chairmanship of the subcommittee; to provide for the meetings of the subcommittee
7 for the purpose of forecasting and reviewing information related to the Medicaid
8 program; to provide for budget development; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 39:21.3(E)(2) and (3) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
11 39:21.3(E)(4) and (5) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง21.3. Consensus estimating conferences; duties and principals
13 * * *
14 E. Health and Social Services Estimating Conference.
15 * * *
16 (2) Principals. The principals of the Health and Social Services Estimating
17 Conference are as follows:
18 (a) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, or his
19 designee.
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1 (b) The chairman of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, or his
2 designee.
3 (c) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, or his designee.
4 (d) The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, or his
5 designee.
6 (e) The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, or his
7 designee.
8 (f) The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, or
9 his designee.
10 (g) A member of the professional staff of the office of the governor to be
11 appointed by the governor.
12 (b)(h) A member of the professional staff of the division of administration
13 to be appointed by the commissioner of administration.
14 (c)(i) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have
15 forecasting fiscal expertise to be appointed by the president of the Senate.
16 (d)(j) A member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have
17 forecasting fiscal expertise to be appointed by the speaker of the House of
18 Representatives.
19 (e)(k) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Health and
20 Hospitals who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the secretary of the
21 Department of Health and Hospitals.
22 (f)(l) A member of the professional staff of the Department of Children and
23 Family Services who shall have forecasting expertise to be appointed by the
24 secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services.
25 (m) The legislative fiscal officer, or his designee who shall have
26 healthcare experience.
27 (n) A faculty member specializing in healthcare economics from a public
28 or private university in the state, selected by the other principal members, from
29 a list of as many as five, but not less than three names, submitted to them by the
30 Board of Regents.
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1 (o) All professional staff members serving as principals shall collaborate
2 with the appropriate departments to provide the data necessary for the
3 conference, or subcommittee of the conference, to fulfill the duties specified in
4 Paragraphs (1) and (4) of this Subsection.
5 (3) Principal Principals to preside over meetings. The principal representing
6 the office of the governor shall preside over sessions of the conference. The
7 chairmanship of the conference shall rotate annually among the four legislative
8 committee chairmen serving as principals, in the following order:
9 (a) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
10 (b) The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
11 (c) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.
12 (d) The chairman of the House Committee on Health and Welfare.
13 (4) Conference meetings. The conference shall meet at least quarterly
14 to receive information from the Medicaid Subcommittee.
15 (5) Medicaid Subcommittee. There shall be a Medicaid Subcommittee
16 of the conference responsible for developing forecasts and reviewing
17 information related to the Medicaid Program, including but not limited to the
18 number of Medicaid enrollees, the eligibility criteria under which individuals
19 are enrolling, the rate of utilization of services and growth in the cost of
20 services, provider reimbursement methodologies, and the factors considered in
21 developing the per-member-per-month premiums paid to the Medicaid
22 managed care companies.
23 (a) The membership of the subcommittee shall consist of the following
24 principals of the conference:
25 (i) The member of the professional staff of the division of administration
26 appointed by the commissioner of administration.
27 (ii) The member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall have
28 fiscal expertise and is appointed by the president of the Senate.
29 (iii) The member of the professional staff of the legislature who shall
30 have fiscal expertise and is appointed by the speaker of the House of
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1 Representatives.
2 (iv) The member of the professional staff of the Department of Health
3 and Hospitals who shall have forecasting expertise and is appointed by the
4 secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals.
5 (v) The legislative fiscal officer, or his designee who shall have health
6 care experience.
7 (vi) The faculty member specializing in healthcare economics selected by
8 the members of the conference.
9 (b) The chairmanship of the subcommittee shall rotate biennially among
10 the professional legislative staff appointed by the president of the Senate and the
11 speaker of the House of Representatives, beginning with the professional Senate
12 staff member.
13 (c) The subcommittee shall meet as follows:
14 (i) In September, to establish an initial forecast for the ensuing fiscal
15 year which shall be utilized by the Department of Health and Hospitals in
16 formulating its budget request.
17 (ii) In December, to revise the forecast for the ensuing fiscal year which
18 shall be utilized in the preparation of the executive budget recommendations by
19 the state budget office.
20 (iii) In April, to revise the forecast for the ensuing fiscal year which shall
21 be utilized by the legislature in its adoption of a state budget for the ensuing
22 fiscal year.
23 (iv) In July, to discuss the forecast for the current fiscal year as
24 compared to the current year appropriation.
25 (v) In addition to considering the forecast, the subcommittee may also
26 review any aspects of the Medicaid program as provided for in Paragraph (4)
27 of this Subsection at its regularly scheduled meetings or any additional
28 meetings, as necessary.
29 (vi) Any principal of the conference may request that the subcommittee
30 meet to discuss a specific issue.
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1 (d) The subcommittee shall submit a report to the conference
2 summarizing all topics discussed and any actions taken at each meeting.
3 * * *
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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