The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SB 146 Engrossed 2018 Regular Session Mills
Proposed law establishes an enhanced Medicaid reimbursement rate for hospitals that triage
Medicaid patients presenting at the hospital emergency department to a hospital urgent care or
primary care clinic when such transition is appropriate. Proposed law provides for an attestation by
the hospital of the percentage of emergency department volume that was successfully transitioned
to the urgent care or primary care clinic.
Proposed law provides for a graduated benchmark over the course of three years where a hospital
could earn enhanced reimbursement in the amount of 30% for professional services provided by the
hospital for each year of achieving the benchmark reductions in volume.
Proposed law provides that hospitals that advertise wait times or allow for advance appointment
scheduling for emergency department visits and hospitals that do not predominantly treat Medicaid
recipients in their urgent care or primary care clinic are not eligible for the enhanced reimbursement
rate.
Proposed law provides that funding for the enhanced rate comes in part from the savings achieved
by paying for fewer costly emergency department visits.
Proposed law authorizes LDH to promulgate rules to implement proposed law.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Adds R.S. 40:1248)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Health and Welfare to the
original bill
1. Includes primary care clinic as a recognized option, along with urgent care clinic, to
transition a Medicaid patient to when appropriate.
2. Clarifies that the enhanced reimbursement is for professional services provided by
the hospital.
3. Deletes the word nonemergent.