HLS 22RS-2608 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 88
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
MEDICAID: Urges and requests the La. Department of Health to utilize increased
collections from pharmacy rebates to increase rates for primary care providers in the
Medicaid program
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To request the Louisiana Department of Health to utilize increased collections from
3 pharmacy rebates to reimburse pharmacists to acquire prescription drugs and then
4 to increase rates for primary care providers in the Medicaid program.
5 WHEREAS, the term "primary care" refers to routine healthcare services delivered
6by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal healthcare
7needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of
8family and community; this care includes screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
9for the purpose of promoting a person's health and detecting and managing a person's disease
10or injury; and
11 WHEREAS, primary care is a vital component of any healthcare system and is
12essential for improving and maintaining the health of any population; and
13 WHEREAS, enhancing healthcare provider reimbursement rates for primary care in
14the Louisiana Medicaid program is a direct incentive for increasing the availability of this
15much-needed care in our state; and
16 WHEREAS, House Resolution No. 1 of the 2020 Second Extraordinary Session of
17the Legislature requested a study of the costs and benefits of setting Medicaid
18reimbursement rates for primary care services equivalent to Medicare rates for those
19services; and
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HCR NO. 88
1 WHEREAS, the resulting study found that Louisiana's Medicaid program pays on
2average sixty-seven percent of the rates provided by Medicare; and
3 WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Executive Budget recommendation includes
4nine hundred fifty-one million twenty-five thousand nine hundred ninety-four dollars in
5pharmacy rebates that offset the expenditure need of the Medicaid program; and
6 WHEREAS, the Medicaid Estimating Conference received testimony at its meeting
7on April 12, 2022, that projected pharmacy rebate amounts could exceed the amounts
8recommended in the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
10request the Louisiana Department of Health to utilize these additional pharmacy rebates to
11reimburse pharmacists to acquire prescription drugs and then to increase base reimbursement
12rates provided to primary care and pediatric office visit Evaluation and Management codes
13up to one hundred percent of the Medicare reimbursement rates provided for primary care
14services in the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
16secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and the director of the Louisiana Medicaid
17program.
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 88 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Echols
Requests the La. Dept. of Health to utilize increased pharmacy rebate collections within the
Medicaid program in Fiscal Year 2022-2023 to reimburse pharmacists to acquire
prescription drugs and then to increase primary care and pediatric office visit reimbursement
rates to levels provided by Medicare.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Add reimbursement language for pharmacists to acquire prescription drugs.
2. Make technical corrections.
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