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LDH News

• August 10, 2023

  Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program LAC 48:I.10001 and 10033

  Amends the provisions governing the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program in order to update the qualifications for certified nurse aides to allow certification of individuals who have successfully completed a semester of a registered or practical nursing program, which includes a course on foundational nursing skills, to take an approved nurse aide competency evaluation examination and to update the registration requirements for the Louisiana Certified Nurse Aide Registry, in compliance with Act 80 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Medicaid Reimbursement for Licensed Midwife or Certified Nurse Midwife Services LAC 50:IX.15161, 15163 and XV.27101

  Continues the provisions of the August 1, 2023 Emergency Rule, which adopted provisions in the Professional Services Program governing reimbursement for services provided by licensed midwives and certified nurse midwives and amended the provisions governing free-standing birthing centers to increase the reimbursement rate for services rendered by these providers, in compliance with Act 207 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities – Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.8531 and 8591

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing standards of intermediate care facilities for persons with developmental disabilities to update the requirements for visitation by close family members of a resident during a declared public health emergency, in compliance with Act 367 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Hospital Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.Chapter 93 and 9443

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing of hospitals in order to permit competent adult victims of sexually oriented criminal offenses to receive written documentation resulting from their forensic medical exam in the possession of the hospital in compliance with Act 540 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, and to require hospitals to adopt and implement policies for a surgical smoke plume evacuation plan for surgical procedures using heat-producing equipment and to update the requirements for visitation by members of the clergy during a declared public health emergency, in compliance with Acts 35 and 367 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Hospice Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.8201, 8259, and 8261

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing of hospice providers to adopt guidelines for visitation during a declared public health emergency by clergy, immediate family members and other designated persons, in compliance with Act 367 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature and to revise the definition of geographic area to specify any parish within a 50 mile radius of the hospice premises, in compliance with House Resolution 152 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments – Reimbursement Methodology LAC 50:V.2901 and 2903

  Amends the provisions governing disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to increase the reimbursement for DSH eligible services provided by hospitals through a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) in order to align the payment rate for OBH-approved DSH days to the Medicaid inpatient psychiatric per diem rate on file for free-standing psychiatric hospitals.

• August 10, 2023

  Crisis Receiving Centers – Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.5303

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing of crisis receiving centers in order to update the definitions to appropriately reflect the providers who may execute a coroner’s or physician’s emergency certificate, in compliance with Act 363 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Ambulatory Surgical Center – Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.Chapter 45

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) in order to require ASCs to adopt and implement policies for a surgical smoke plume evacuation plan for surgical procedures using heat-producing equipment, in compliance with Act 35 of the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  Adult Residential Care Providers – Licensing Standards LAC 48:I.6831 and 6832

  Amends the provisions governing the licensing of adult residential care providers in order to update the requirements for visitation by members of the clergy, immediate family members, and other designated persons during a declared public health emergency, in compliance with Act 367 if the 2023 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

• August 10, 2023

  August 2023 Legislative Oversight Committee Activity

  The August 2023 Legislative Oversight Committee reports have been submitted to the respective legislative oversight committees in accordance with R.S. 49:968(D)(1)(b)(c)

• August 10, 2023

  Acadiana Office of Public Health to host Back to School Hygiene Drive

  The Office of Public Health Region 4 (Acadiana), in partnership with Healthy Iberia Coalition and Healthy Vermilion Coalition, is holding a Back to School Hygiene Drive. In this first-of-its-kind event, we are asking Acadiana community members to collect basic hygiene items for distribution to local middle schools.

• August 04, 2023

  Direct support workers will receive bonus payments for serving waiver participants during the pandemic

  The Louisiana Department of Health received federal approval on July 22 to begin issuing bonus payments to direct support workers who served waiver participants during the pandemic. LDH's Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) and Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS) released the first round of federal funding on July 25 to agencies to provide the bonus payments to eligible workers.