The bill enacts a new section, R.S. 46:460.76.1, to establish a pilot program under the Louisiana Department of Health that allows Medicaid recipients to utilize portable oxygen concentrators. Currently, Medicaid covers these devices for beneficiaries under twenty-one if deemed medically necessary, but for those over twenty-one, coverage is limited to travel for medical appointments. The new program aims to expand this coverage, allowing individuals over twenty-one to receive portable oxygen concentrators prescribed by a licensed physician if they are mobile within their home or community, thereby improving their quality of life.

Additionally, the Louisiana Department of Health has the authority to limit the number of portable oxygen concentrators covered each fiscal year through departmental rules. The department is also required to submit a utilization report to the legislature prior to each session, detailing requests for portable oxygen concentrators, coverage statistics, funding information, and demographic data of enrollees. This initiative seeks to enhance access to necessary medical equipment for Medicaid recipients, ensuring better health outcomes for those in need.