SR 154 — NURSES: Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the adequacy of the in-home skilled nursing services market in Louisiana.

SLS 26RS-4045 ORIGINAL Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

154 BY SENATOR MCMATH NURSES.A RESOLUTION To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the adequacy of the in-home skilled nursing services market in Louisiana and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.

Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the adequacy of the in- home skilled nursing services market in Louisiana.

A RESOLUTION To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study the adequacy of the in-home skilled nursing services market in Louisiana and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.

and WHEREAS, Title XIX of the Social Security Act and federal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements obligate Louisiana Medicaid to arrange for medically necessarycontinuous skilled nursing services for eligible children Pageunder 1twenty-one years of 5age; SLS 26RS-4045 ORIGINAL SR NO.

154and underWHEREAS, twenty-onefederal yearsworkforce projections anticipate a substantial registered nurse shortageinLouisianaoverthecomingdecade,andsixtyofthestate'ssixty-fourparishesare designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, conditions that bear directly on the ability of age;in-home nursing providers to staff authorized hours of care;

and WHEREAS, federal workforce projections anticipate a substantial registered nurse shortagein Louisianaoverthecomingdecade,andsixtyofthestate'ssixty-fourparishesare designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, conditions that bear directly on the ability of in-home nursing providers to staff authorized hours of care;

and WHEREAS,Page on1 Mayof 13,4 2026,SR theNO. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services imposed a nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies andhospices,includinginLouisiana,narrowingtheavenuesbywhichnewin-homeprovider capacity may enter the market;

and154 WHEREAS,theCentersforMedicareandMedicaidServicesfinalizedtheEnsuringENROLLED AccessWHEREAS, toon MedicaidMay Services13, rule2026, inthe 2024,Centers establishing new federal expectations for stateMedicare and Medicaid agenciesServices regardingimposed servicedeliverytimeliness,a unfillednationwide authorizedmoratorium hours,on andnew theMedicare adequacyofprovidernetworks,andbeginningin2026,requiringstatestoreportandpublishenrollments state hourly Medicaid payment rates for specifiedhome in-homehealth servicesagencies onandhospices,includinginLouisiana,narrowingtheavenuesbywhichnewin-homeprovider acapacity basismay comparableenter withthe othermarket; states;

and WHEREAS,anyfutureadjustmentstoLouisiana'slongstandinglicensureframeworkWHEREAS,theCentersforMedicareandMedicaidServicesfinalizedtheEnsuring Access to Medicaid Services rule in 2024, establishing new federal expectations for homestate healthMedicaid agencies shouldregarding beservice informeddeliverytimeliness, bydata,unfilled stakeholderauthorized input,hours, and carefulthe study.adequacyofprovidernetworks,andbeginningin2026,requiringstatestoreportandpublish state hourly Medicaid payment rates for specified in-home services on a basis comparable with other states;

and WHEREAS,anyfutureadjustmentstoLouisiana'slongstandinglicensureframework for home health agencies should be informed by data, stakeholder input, and careful study.

(1) Current provider network capacity for continuous and extended-hour skilled nursing services, including geographic distribution and identification of parishes in which the number of enrolled and actively serving providers is insufficient to meet authorized Pageservice 2hours. of 5 SLS 26RS-4045 ORIGINAL SR NO.

154 service hours.

(3) Whether current state policies governing the licensure and enrollment of providers of continuous and extended-hour skilled nursing services are calibrated appropriately to the unique characteristics of those services, including a comparison of Louisiana'sPage framework2 with the frameworks used in other states and identification of any4 state-levelexceptionsoraccommodationsthathavebeenadoptedtomaintainaccesstotheseSR services,NO. and whether targeted adjustments, including consideration of whether continuous skilled nursing warrants treatment distinct from traditional home health for purposes of provider participation, would improve access without compromising patient safety or program integrity.

154 ENROLLED Louisiana's framework with the frameworks used in other states and identification of any state-levelexceptionsoraccommodationsthathavebeenadoptedtomaintainaccesstothese services, and whether targeted adjustments, including consideration of whether continuous skilled nursing warrants treatment distinct from traditional home health for purposes of provider participation, would improve access without compromising patient safety or program integrity.

Page(8) 3The extent to which gaps in authorized hours are absorbed byfamilycaregivers, including evidence of 5caregivers SLSreducing 26RS-4045or ORIGINALleaving SRpaid NO.employment to provide care, and the implications for family economic stability.

154BE (8)IT TheFURTHER extentRESOLVED tothat whichthe gapsLouisiana inDepartment authorizedof hoursHealth areshall absorbedconsultwithaffectedstakeholders,includingbeneficiariesandtheirfamilies,in-homeskilled byfamilycaregivers,nursingproviders,homehealthagencies,managedcareorganizations,clinicalprofessionals includingfamiliar evidencewith ofthe caregiverscare reducingneeds orof leavingthe paidmedically employmentfragile topopulation, providethe care,Louisiana andState theBoard implicationsofNursing,thebureauoffamilyhealth,children'shospitalsoperatinginLouisiana,pediatric forPage family3 economicof stability.4 SR NO.

BE154 ITENROLLED FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Department of Health shall consultwithaffectedstakeholders,includingbeneficiariesandtheirfamilies,in-homeskilled nursingproviders,homehealthagencies,managedcareorganizations,clinicalprofessionals familiar with the care needs of the medicallyfragile population, the Louisiana State Board ofNursing,thebureauoffamilyhealth,children'shospitalsoperatinginLouisiana,pediatric subspecialty societies including the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, disability rights and family-support organizations including Families Helping Families regional centers, the Arc of Louisiana, and the Advocacy Center of Louisiana, long-term acute care hospital representatives, and the legislative auditor as appropriate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall report its findings and recommendationsto the Senate Committee onHealthandWelfarenolateron thanHealth February1,andWelfarenolaterthanFebruary1, 2027.

PagePRESIDENT 4OF ofTHE 5SENATE SLSPage 26RS-40454 ORIGINALof SR4 NO.

154 The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared bySenate Legislative Services.

The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SR 154 Original 2026 Regular Session McMath Requests the La.

Dept.

of Health to study the adequacy of the in-home skilled nursing services market in Louisiana and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.

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