SLS 21RS-790 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 23
BY SENATOR TALBOT
MEDICAID. Establishes a task force to study and report on Medicaid managed care for
individuals receiving long-term supports and services.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To establish a task force to study the desirability and feasability of implementing a Medicaid
3 managed long-term supports and services system in Louisiana and to provide the
4 recommended content for a request for proposals for the Medicaid managed
5 long-term supports and services system.
6 WHEREAS, several states utilize a Medicaid managed long-term supports and
7 services system as a strategy for improving access to home- and community-based services,
8 promoting community inclusion, ensuring quality, and increasing efficiency and fiscal
9 sustainability of their Medicaid programs; and
10 WHEREAS, senior citizens represent the largest population who receive Medicaid
11 long-term care supports and services and Louisiana would best serve its senior citizens by
12 implementing programs that have an emphasis on choice, consumer-driven care, and
13 services that actively promote community-based alternatives; and
14 WHEREAS, those persons receiving Medicaid managed long-term supports and
15 services are the only beneficiary group currently excluded from Medicaid managed care
16 which leaves those persons ineligible for new types of services that could better integrate
17 care, management, promote independence, employment, wellness, and recovery, or may
18 detect and delay the increased risks associated with chronic diseases; and
Page 1 of 5 SR NO. 23
SLS 21RS-790 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, previously, the Louisiana Department of Health developed a plan for
2 implementing a Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system which showed
3 the potential to generate additional federal matching funds and slow growth in Medicaid
4 spending for long-term supports and services; and
5 WHEREAS, based on its thorough planning and the significant amount of input it
6 gathered from stakeholders across the state, the Louisiana Department of Health developed
7 specifications for the Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system and wrote
8 the specifications into a request for proposals; and
9 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Health announced that it would release the
10 request for proposals for a Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system
11 provider in April of 2015, then within the same month, indicated that the release of the
12 request for proposals would be delayed; and
13 WHEREAS, the department ultimately announced in August of 2015 that it would
14 not release the request for proposals for a Medicaid managed long-term supports and
15 services system provider; and
16 WHEREAS, as indicated in House Resolution No. 224 of the 2017 Regular Session,
17 the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health has testified that savings from a
18 Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system implementation could be seventy
19 million dollars "on the low end"; and
20 WHEREAS, in order to make informed decisions about the merits of a Medicaid
21 managed long-term supports and services system, it is imperative that the Legislature of
22 Louisiana have accurate data and information.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
24 does hereby establish a task force to study the desirability and feasability of implementing
25 a Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system in Louisiana and to provide the
26 recommended content for a request for proposals for the Medicaid managed long-term
27 supports and services system.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of
29 representatives from any relevant and interested parties including but not limited to the
30 following members:
Page 2 of 5 SR NO. 23
SLS 21RS-790 ORIGINAL
1 (1)The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
2 (2)The assistant secretary of the office of aging and adult services of the
3 Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
4 (3)The assistant secretary of the office for citizens with developmental
5 disabilities of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
6 (4)The director of the bureau of health services financing of the Louisiana
7 Department of Health or his designee.
8 (5)The state director of AARP Louisiana or his designee.
9 (6)The executive director of the Louisiana Nursing Home Association or his
10 designee.
11 (7)The chair of the Louisiana Assisted Living Association or his designee.
12 (8)The president of the Louisiana State Medical Society or his designee.
13 (9)The president and chief executive officer of the Council for a Better
14 Louisiana or his designee.
15 (10)The president of the Advocacy Center or his designee.
16 (11)A consumer of long-term care services to be appointed by the secretary of the
17 Department of Health and Hospitals.
18 (12)A nurse practitioner with a geriatric specialty appointed by the president of
19 the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners.
20 (13)A home- and community-based provider appointed by the secretary of the
21 Louisiana Department of Health.
22 (14)The director of the governor's office of elderly affairs or his designee.
23 (15)The commissioner of administration or his designee.
24 (16)One member of the Senate appointed by the Senate president.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in carrying out the purposes of this Resolution,
26 the task force may engage and solicit input, recommendations, and advice from all interested
27 parties and stakeholders.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is assigned to the Louisiana
29 Department of Health, with staff support to be provided from existing personnel within the
30 department.
Page 3 of 5 SR NO. 23
SLS 21RS-790 ORIGINAL
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the Louisiana Department of
2 Health shall issue the first invitation for the initial meeting of the task force no later than
3 September 1, 2021.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this task force shall serve
5 without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be
6 individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the member appointed by the Senate president
8 shall serve as chairman of the task force.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all departments, boards, agencies, officers, and
10 institutions of the state and all subdivisions thereof shall cooperate with the task force in
11 providing information to assist the task force in carrying out its mission.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the framework for the task force discussion may
13 include but is not limited to the following:
14 (1)A short history of long-term care as a Medicaid service.
15 (2)The legal environment, including legislative governance and policies for
16 long-term care, regulatory environment and practice for long-term care, and Centers
17 for Medicare and Medicaid Services involvement in state long-term care policies.
18 (3)Financial and rate setting operating rules and policies.
19 (4)Non-Medicaid long-term care supports and services provided by the state and
20 others.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in conducting the study required by this
22 Resolution, the task force shall survey laws relative to Medicaid coverage of managed
23 long-term supports and services in other states, including but not limited to Tennessee, in
24 order to identify best practices.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall make a written report of its
26 findings on the desirability and feasability of implementing a Medicaid managed long-term
27 supports and services system in Louisiana and its recommended content for a request for
28 proposals for the Medicaid managed long-term supports and services system to the Senate
29 Health and Welfare Committee no later than February 1, 2022.
Page 4 of 5 SR NO. 23
SLS 21RS-790 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Brandi Cannon.
DIGEST
SR 23 Original 2021 Regular Session Talbot
Establishes a task force to study the desirability and feasability of implementing a Medicaid
managed long-term supports and services system in Louisiana and to provide the
recommended content for a request for proposals for the Medicaid managed long-term
supports and services system.
Page 5 of 5