HLS 22RS-447 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 40
BY REPRESENTATIVE TURNER
MEDICAID: Requests the La. Department of Health to study and report on the costs of
providing nursing services in certain Medicaid-funded programs and facilities for
persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the actual costs of
3 providing nursing services in the Medicaid-funded New Opportunities Waiver and
4 Residential Options Waiver programs and to residents of intermediate care facilities
5 for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; to identify potential
6 means for fully funding nursing services for persons served by these programs and
7 facilities; and to report its findings to certain legislative committees.
8 WHEREAS, nurses are critical members of the care teams of persons with
9intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive home- and community-based
10services through the Medicaid waiver programs known as the New Opportunities Waiver
11(NOW Waiver) and Residential Options Waiver (ROW Waiver); and
12 WHEREAS, nurses are indispensable to these care teams and to Medicaid waiver
13service recipients because they provide needed nursing care to recipients and also deliver
14mandatory training required for, and key support to, the direct support professionals who
15provide the majority of the recipients' services; and
16 WHEREAS, intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual and
17developmental disabilities, known commonly as ICFs, are Medicaid-funded residential
18facilities at which children and adults with special needs receive individualized health care
19and habilitation services; and
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HCR NO. 40
1 WHEREAS, state licensing regulations for disability services providers, including
2ICFs and NOW Waiver and ROW Waiver service providers, require that these providers
3employ, contract with, or otherwise assure access to all necessary professional staff to meet
4the needs of each service recipient as identified and addressed in the recipient's
5individualized service plan; and
6 WHEREAS, such professional staff may include, without limitation, licensed
7practical nurses, registered nurses, and other health professionals; and
8 WHEREAS, the current reimbursement rates for nursing services for ICF residents
9and in the NOW Waiver and ROW Waiver programs do not cover the full cost of providing
10these required services.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
12urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to determine, through provider surveys
13and any other appropriate methods, the actual costs of providing nursing services in the
14NOW Waiver and ROW Waiver programs and to residents of intermediate care facilities for
15persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall study all potential means
17for increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing services paid to providers in the
18NOW Waiver and ROW Waiver programs and to intermediate care facilities for persons
19with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall submit its findings from
21the efforts called for in this Resolution in the form of a report to the House Committee on
22Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Health and
23Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the Joint Medicaid Oversight
24Committee, and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library no later than sixty days
25prior to the convening of the 2023 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
27secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
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HCR NO. 40
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)]
HCR 40 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Turner
Urges and requests the La. Department of Health (LDH) to determine the actual costs of
providing nursing services in the NOW Waiver program, the ROW Waiver program, and
to residents of intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. Requests that LDH study potential means for increasing Medicaid
reimbursement rates for nursing services paid to providers in those programs and facilities.
Requires LDH to submit its findings in the form of a report to the House Committee on
Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance, the legislative committees on health and
welfare, and the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee no later than 60 days prior to the
convening of the 2023 R.S.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
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