Medicaid

Late this afternoon, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) was notified by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that the remaining state plan amendments (SPAs) for the public-private partnerships have been denied. This is an unprecedented step by the federal government that contradicts earlier approval actions by CMS. The Department will appeal the decision by CMS through an administrative appeal. There is no short-term budget impact as a result of the CMS decision.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals today announced that Managed Care of North America Dental (MCNA) is being recommended for the contract as the Dental Benefits Program Manager to provide dental services for 1.2 million Medicaid and LaCHIP enrollees.

The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) reminds the public that it is hosting a series of public meetings next week to gather input about its proposal to transition people receiving long-term supports and services through the Medicaid program to a model of managed care.

The Department of Health and Hospitals is hosting a series of public meetings to gather input about its proposal to transition people receiving long supports and services through the Medicaid program to a model of managed care.

The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) is rescinding its November 2013 emergency rule for outpatient abortion facilities licensing standards. The notice of intent to finalize the rule scheduled for a public hearing tomorrow, Feb. 4, has been removed from the hearing’s agenda. The Department will reissue a revised rule and notice of intent at a later date. Once a new notice of intent has been filed, a new public hearing will be scheduled to receive public comments.

"Five private firms managing health care for about 900,000 Louisiana Medicaid recipients got high marks in an independent review required by federal officials.

The charge of Act 212 of the 2013 Regular Legislative Session was to provide transparency relative to Medicaid managed care programs. Within the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), this involves the Louisiana Behavioral Health Partnership (LBHP) and its included Coordinated System of Care (CSoC). To manage the LBHP, inclusive of CSoC, Magellan Health Services of Louisiana, Inc. (Magellan) was selected to administer the program as the statewide management organization (SMO). This report outlines responses to the requests made by the legislature in Act 212 relative to Magellan's management of care within the LBHP and CSoC.

The Department of Health and Hospitals released today final External Quality Review Organization (EQRO) reports that show that the Bayou Health Plans collectively earned high marks for compliance with more than 4,000 state and federal requirements. Compliance with requirements from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is key to demonstrating that they Bayou Health Plans are effectively managing the health care of the more than 900,000 individuals enrolled in the State’s Medicaid managed care program. This is the first EQRO report to be issued for Bayou Health, which was implemented in by the Department of Health and Hospitals in 2012.