HLS 21RS-3255 ENGROSSED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 107
BY REPRESENTATIVE MAGEE
MEDICAID MANAGED CARE: Requests the La. Department of Health to ensure that
Medicaid managed care organizations cover and pay for certain respiratory panels
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to ensure that Medicaid managed
3 care organizations cover and pay for certain respiratory panels.
4 WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented public health
5emergency due to which, as of March, 2021, more than ten thousand Louisianans have lost
6their lives; and
7 WHEREAS, the most effective way to reduce the pandemic's devastation is to
8quickly detect and treat COVID-19 and other respiratory infections; and
9 WHEREAS, because of the pandemic, utilization of respiratory panels increased as
10a means of detecting not only the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 but other
11potential respiratory infections which might complicate a patient's diagnosis and treatment
12options; and
13 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Health has recognized the need for the
14Medicaid program of this state to cover and pay for laboratory testing for COVID-19 and
15other respiratory infections, particularly when the testing utilizes high-throughput
16technology; and
17 WHEREAS, as utilization of respiratory panels increased, certain health insurers,
18managed care companies, and other payors began to demand that clinical laboratories accept
19reduced reimbursement and to deny coverage of and payment for laboratory tests ordered
20by healthcare practitioners after examinations of patients; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 21RS-3255 ENGROSSED
HR NO. 107
1 WHEREAS, when ordered by a healthcare practitioner, these respiratory panels
2provide a useful and effective means of identifying, quickly treating, and limiting the spread
3of serious respiratory infections.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
5Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health
6to ensure that the Medicaid managed care organizations with which it contracts cover and
7pay for, without unnecessary restrictions, respiratory panels that include testing for
8SARS-CoV-2 performed by healthcare providers conducting clinical diagnostic laboratory
9tests ordered by Louisiana-licensed health professionals for Medicaid beneficiaries for the
10detection or diagnosis of respiratory infections.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
12secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and to the director of Louisiana Managed
13Medicaid Association.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 107 Engrossed 2021 Regular Session Magee
Urges and requests the La. Department of Health to ensure that Medicaid managed care
organizations cover and pay for certain respiratory panels.
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