HB 579 was introduced by Rep. Wayne McMahen (HD 10 – R). As originally fi led the bill would have allowed pharmacists to u Ɵ lize a statewide protocol developed by the Board of Pharmacy to ini Ɵ ate therapy, dispense PrEP and PEP, order lab tests and more in e ff orts to o ff er access to medica Ɵ ons for HIV preven Ɵ on. While no one opposed increasing the access to PrEP and PEP medica Ɵ ons, the mechanism created did not meet the standards of care that would be expected by physicians or other healthcare providers. Rep. McMahen worked with every stakeholder to address concerns associated with legisla Ɵ on and ul Ɵ mately accepted amendments o ff ered by the Louisiana Department of Health to be Ʃ er cra Ō a piece of legisla Ɵ on that enables the Department to promulgate rules surrounding the dispensing of PrEP and PEP through a pharmacy without a prescrip Ɵ on and with appropriate follow-up requirements for a pa Ɵ ent. Sen. Jay Morris (SD 35 – R) was a pivotal champion for physicians during the Senate debates on HB 579. HB 828 was introduced by Rep. Dus Ɵ n Miller (HD 40 – D). As fi nally passed, this legisla Ɵ on does have the poten Ɵ al to muddy some waters related to scope of prac Ɵ ce. It allows a medical psychologist to consult with a pa Ɵ ent’s primary care provider directly, even if that provider is not a physician. It does require that the medical psychologist must include a provider’s supervising or collabora Ɵ ng physician when that provider is not a physician. Interpreta Ɵ on of how the legisla Ɵ on is implemented through the Board of Medical Examiners will be important moving forward.
Rep. Jeremy LaCombe from New Roads visits with Richard Bridges, MD of Amite.
appropriateness counseling children as it relates to gender iden Ɵ ty and issues. While they were fi led, none of the most controversial bills received a hearing. of HB 849 was introduced by Rep. John Illg (HD 78 – R). Rep. Illg’s legisla Ɵ on requires anyone providing behavioral health services to a pa Ɵ ent to accept and make part of the pa Ɵ ent’s medical record any collateral informa Ɵ on related by a pa Ɵ ent’s family member, caregiver, friend or other healthcare professional. The bill also adds some addi Ɵ onal discharge plan requirements for no Ɵ fi ca Ɵ on of other healthcare providers. SCOPE OF PRACTICE: This year, legisla Ɵ on was fi led for physical therapists, medical psychologists and pharmacists. Both legislators who were asked to bring the legisla Ɵ on for the physical therapists refused to move their bills a Ō er hearing concerns from the physician community.
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ACT 332 (SB 325) was introduced by Sen. Rick Edmonds (SD 6 – R). Act 332 requires the LA Department of Health to develop an informa Ɵ onal document containing resources and services available for a pregnant woman whose unborn child has been diagnosed with a fetal abnormality. The healthcare provider who delivers the diagnoses to the mother is now required to provide this document to the mother within 72 hours. MENTAL HEALTH: Mental Health issues have taken center stage within this administra Ɵ on as legislators and regulators grapple to fi nd ways to improve outcomes in an area that has been overlooked and underfunded for genera Ɵ ons. Issues discussed this session included opioid addi Ɵ on, elderly condi Ɵ ons, sexual abuse, prisoner rehabilita Ɵ on and more. Much of the more controversial legisla Ɵ on was amended (if passed) to remove physician concerns. Legislators con Ɵ nue to debate the
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