Medicaid

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Governor Bobby Jindal announced today that Louisiana received final federal approval for the state's public-private partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, which took over operations of the former Earl K. Long Medical Center earlier this year.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has announced plans to renew its efforts to contract with a single Dental Benefits Manager (DBM), to be procured through a new competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, to provide dental healthcare benefits and services to Louisiana Medicaid and LaCHIP recipients statewide.

Today, the Louisiana Division of Administration and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals outlined a plan to address funding reductions included by the Legislature in the state’s final operating budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1. Without these actions, DHH projects that it would face an approximately $25.9 million state general fund shortfall at current operating levels.

Important information regarding Medicaid Provider Enrollment.

Today, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein announced plans to reform the Medicaid Hospice Program, with a focus on providing services in the community. The department has secured bridge funding from existing grants to continue the current hospice program, which was set to end on Feb. 1, until the reformed program can be implemented later this spring. Previous Administration decisions regarding the Medicaid budget will still remain intact. The savings will still be realized from the original reduction, with Hospice services continuing through this existing funding stream.

In June, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced plans to implement coordinated care for Medicaid dental benefits. After months of dialogue with dental stakeholders about how best to coordinate this aspect of Medicaid recipients’ care, DHH has finalized its dental reform concept, which contains many improvements based on this valuable feedback, and issued a Request for Proposals last week for the Medicaid Dental Benefit Program.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), Bayou Health Program, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified proposers to provide dental healthcare services, through a comprehensive network of providers, to eligible clients residing in all 64 parishes in Louisiana.

Today, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein and LSU System Executive Vice President for Health Care and Medical Education Redesign Dr. Frank Opelka held events in three regions of the state to announce that agreements have been reached to form public-private partnerships involving three LSU hospitals. Interim LSU Hospital and its successor University Medical Center in New Orleans will partner with Louisiana Children’s Medical Center; Leonard J. Chabert Hospital in Houma has reached agreements with Ochsner Health System and Terrebonne General Medical Center; and University Medical Center in Lafayette has formed a partnership with its neighbor, Lafayette General Medical Center.