SPECIALTY Focus Each year, bills are introduced that impact the interests of a par Ɵ cular specialty. This page highlights several of those. Addic Ɵ on Medicine SB 154 by Sen. Jay Morris adds kratom to the Schedule 1 drug list and makes it illegal to possess. Supported by physicians and law enforcement, the bill is wai Ɵ ng for a fi nal vote on the House fl oor. Due to the ease of access and lack of research, proponents believe kratom needs to be removed from the market en Ɵ rely and not just regulated. HB 658 by Rep. Chris Turner establishes a permanent Medicaid Trust Fund for Addi Ɵ on Recovery to allow eligible funds to be invested now and used in the future. The fund can accept federal funds, li Ɵ ga Ɵ on se Ʃ lements and provider taxes as revenue—not state general funds. The fund will be leveraged to protect provider rates and to increase rates to align with health care in fl a Ɵ on. Dermatology HB 119 by Rep. Daryl Deshotel reduces the light transmission requirement for front seat car windows from 40% to 25%. This provides be Ʃ er sun screening to front seat occupants of vehicles. Pediatrics HB 408 by Rep. Kellee Dickerson requires health insurance coverage for pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome and related condi Ɵ ons. The legisla Ɵ on creates a “Legisla Ɵ ve Findings” sec Ɵ on that puts into law unproven asser Ɵ ons and controversial treatments. Pediatric Neurologists share that there is limited evidence that PANDAS exists and while autoimmune encephali Ɵ s is a real disease, it is rarely post infec Ɵ on. Our request is that these fi ndings be removed from the bill. HB 188 by Rep. Chuck Owen provides for a sales tax exemp Ɵ on for adap Ɵ ve driving equipment and vehicle modi fi ca Ɵ ons if prescribed by a physician, chiropractor or driver rehabilita Ɵ on specialist. Psychiatry SB 120 by Rep. Larry Selders allows an emergency cer Ɵ fi cate to include that a person is willing to seek voluntary admission upon arrival at the trea Ɵ ng facility. Emergency Medicine physicians have joined Psychiatrists in suppor Ɵ ng a need for clarity in the law to allow the issuance of an emergency cer Ɵ fi cate when a person expresses their willingness to self admit. Obstetrics SB 174 by Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews requires certain tes Ɵ ng and screening for pregnant women unless the pa Ɵ ent refuses. The bill expands the mandate to test for HIV and syphilis to include at labor and delivery, adds mandated tes Ɵ ng for chlamydia and gonorrhea at the fi rst prenatal visit and adds a mandated substance use disorder screening in the fi rst trimester. The HIV and syphilis tests are deemed medically necessary covered services with no prior authoriza Ɵ on nor u Ɵ liza Ɵ on management requirements.
Working Together to Keep Physicians in Patient Care Louisiana State Medical Society * Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians * LA Chapter - American Academy of Pediatrics * LA Chapter - American College of Cardiology LA Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons * Louisiana Orthopedic Association * Louisiana Osteopathic Medical Association * Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association Louisiana Society of Anesthesiologists * Louisiana Society of Interventional Pain Physicians * Medicine Louisiana * Radiological Society of Louisiana Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) - Monroe, LA * LA Chapter - American College of Emergency Physicians
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