RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 430(HB 459) 2017 Regular Session Bacala
New law creates a seven-member task force on coordination of Medicaid fraud detection and
prevention initiatives (hereafter, the "task force") within the office of the legislative auditor.
Existing law creates the Medical Assistance Programs Fraud Detection Fund and allocates
its monies to the office of the attorney general or the La. Dept. of Health. Existing law also
authorizes the use of the fund for certain purposes.
New law authorizes appropriation by the legislature of monies in the Medical Assistance
Programs Fraud Detection Fund for activities of the task force.
New law provides that the task force shall be composed of the following members:
(1)The governor or his designee.
(2)The attorney general or his designee.
(3)The legislative auditor or his designee.
(4)The inspector general or his designee.
(5)One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
of Representatives.
(6)One member of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate.
(7)The secretary of the La. Dept. of Health or his designee.
New law provides that the task force shall include the following nonvoting advisory
members, and provides that these advisory members shall cooperate with and assist in the
efforts of the task force upon request of the task force chairman:
(1)One advisory member appointed by the secretary of the La. Dept. of Health.
(2)One advisory member appointed by the secretary of the Dept. of Revenue.
(3)One advisory member appointed by the governor who represents the medical field.
(4)One advisory member appointed by the governor who represents the dental field.
New law provides that at its first meeting, the task force shall select one eligible member to
serve as chairman. Provides that any member except a legislator shall be eligible to serve
as chairman of the task force.
New law requires the task force to adopt rules of procedure and any other policies as may be
necessary to facilitate the work of the group. Authorizes the task force to form
subcommittees for examination of special topics and issues within the overall subject matter
of Medicaid fraud detection and prevention.
New law provides that the purposes of the task force shall include the following:
(1)To study and evaluate on an ongoing basis the laws, rules, policies, and processes by
which the state implements Medicaid fraud detection and prevention efforts.
(2)To identify and recommend opportunities for improving coordination of Medicaid
fraud detection and prevention initiatives across state agencies and branches of state
government.
(3)To identify any systemic or systemwide issues of concern within the Medicaid
program with respect to fraud, waste, and abuse. (4)To develop recommendations for policies and procedures by which to facilitate and
implement all of the following:
(a)Random sampling of Medicaid cases to be selected for verification of
enrollee eligibility.
(b)Improvements in the Medicaid program integrity functions of the La.
Department of Health.
(c)Optimization of data mining among state-owned data sets for purposes of
Medicaid fraud detection and prevention.
(5)To make reports to the governor and to the legislature as provided in new law.
New law provides that on or before Jan. 1, 2018, and semiannually thereafter, the task force
shall prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature a report concerning the status of
Medicaid fraud detection and prevention initiatives and the status of efforts to coordinate
such initiatives across state agencies and branches of state government. Provides that the
report shall include information, analysis, and commentary related to each purpose of the task
force enumerated in new law, and may include any other information as the task force deems
necessary or appropriate.
New law requires the legislative auditor to convene the task force on or before Sept. 1, 2017.
New law creating and providing for the task force terminates on Aug. 1, 2018.
Effective August 1, 2017.
(Amends R.S. 46:440.1(E)(2); Adds R.S. 46:440.4-440.8)