House Bill No. by Representative Turner proposes the establishment of a permanent "Medicaid Trust Fund for Addiction Recovery" within the Louisiana state treasury. This fund will receive all money from various sources, including intergovernmental transfers, and will be used to provide state matching funds for Medicaid to enhance payments to addiction recovery providers. The bill outlines that the Louisiana Department of Health is authorized to impose fees on addiction providers for healthcare services, which will be used to meet federal funding matching requirements. These fees will be credited to the fund and are intended to support the reimbursement rates for addiction providers and the development of a reimbursement system for the Medicaid addiction provider program.
Additionally, the bill stipulates that after July 1, 2025, certain funds will not be subject to appropriation unless authorized by a two-thirds majority of the legislature. It also emphasizes that the funds in the Medicaid Trust Fund cannot be used to replace existing state general fund appropriations for the Medicaid program unless there is a significant revenue shortfall. The Louisiana Department of Health is tasked with creating rules for the administration of the fees, and the governor may designate an agency to oversee the collection of these fees. The act will take effect upon the governor's signature or after the designated period for bills to become law without a signature.