Louisiana Health Department Secretary Announces Panel That Will Help State Overhaul Medicaid

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 18 Jul 2008 - 9:00 PST

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Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine on Tuesday announced the formation of a 10-member panel to help the department revamp its health care delivery system for low-income and uninsured residents, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. Speaking at a Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division conference, Levine said the Medicaid Reform Committee will assist DHH in fulfilling a legal mandate under the state's Health Care Reform Act of 2007 to establish a medical home model of care that focuses on preventive care, chronic disease management and coordination of public and private health services. The committee also will help DHH to apply for federal approval of a demonstration project called "Louisiana Health First," which would form a system of provider service networks.

The committee comprises officials from various state health care agencies and academic and advocacy groups, such as the Louisiana State Medical Society, the Louisiana Association of Health Plans, the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Louisiana Public Health Institute

Levine said that access to care is an obstacle that any new program would have to resolve and that the Medicaid fee-for-service program should be changed to reflect the type and quality of care that is delivered after payments are made. In addition, the current mindset that the future of health care is in "bricks and mortar" must shift to focus on people, technology and the biosciences, he said (Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate, 7/16).

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