SLS 24RS-419 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 6
BY SENATOR CARTER
HEALTH CARE. Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to apply to participate in the
CMS Transforming Maternal Health Model.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to apply to participate in the CMS
3 Transforming Maternal Health Model.
4 WHEREAS, on December 15, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
5 (CMS) announced the new Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model designed to
6 improve maternal health care for people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health
7 Insurance Program (CHIP); and
8 WHEREAS, the model will support participating state Medicaid agencies in the
9 development of a whole-person approach to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care that
10 addresses the physical health, mental health, and health-related social needs experienced
11 during pregnancy; and
12 WHEREAS, the goal of the model is to reduce disparities in access and treatment and
13 improve outcomes and experiences for mothers and their newborns, while also reducing
14 overall program expenditures; and
15 WHEREAS, TMaH's initiatives will center on three main pillars: access to care,
16 infrastructure, and workforce capacity; quality improvement and safety; and whole-person
17 care delivery; and
18 WHEREAS, TMaH will work with participating states to address gaps in maternal
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SLS 24RS-419 ORIGINAL
1 health care through activities like supporting access to midwives and doulas, improving
2 prenatal care for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and reducing
3 complicated procedures like c-sections for low-risk mothers; and
4 WHEREAS, TMaH will promote a more positive and supportive care experience and
5 will allow mothers to play an active role in the development of their birth plan, and feel that
6 their physical health, mental health, and health-related social needs are met; and
7 WHEREAS, all participating state Medicaid agencies will develop and implement
8 a health equity plan that addresses disparities among underserved populations; and
9 WHEREAS, participating state Medicaid agencies will also support the extension of
10 Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage to twelve months to promote preventive care,
11 overall health, and reduction of care costs; and
12 WHEREAS, the model has a three year pre-implementation period, during which
13 states receive targeted technical assistance to advance each model element and achieve
14 required pre-implementation milestones, and a seven year implementation period to execute
15 the model; and
16 WHEREAS, applications for state Medicaid agencies to participate in the model are
17 due in Summer 2024.
18 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
19 urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to apply to participate in the CMS
20 Transforming Maternal Health Model.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
22 secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Amanda Trapp.
DIGEST
SCR 6 Original 2024 Regular Session Carter
Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to apply to participate in the CMS
Transforming Maternal Health Model.
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