Legislative News, June 12, 2008

LEGISLATIVE NEWS
2008 Regular Session . June 11, 2008

Quick Action Needed
One more chance to get language into law that limits what the health care providers and copy services can charge when supplying medical records. HB 895 by Rep. Hunter Greene would do this. The bill passed the House easily but was lost in Senate Health Committee. Monday, the House amended the language of HB 895 onto SB 332 by Sen. Francis Thompson and that Senate bill is up for concurrence by the Senate in House amendments. The vote will probably come tomorrow (Thursday, June 12).

CALL YOUR SENATOR IN SUPPORT OF CONCURRENCE OF SB 332. If you have no other contact phone, the Senate switchboard is 225-342-2040.

Don’t know your senator’s name? Check here for that information. Go to the link, then scroll down to "Who are your state senators and representatives."

More about the issue: Last year the medical records providers (outsource copy services) tried to pass a bill authorizing their charging a “certification fee” in connection with the production of medical records. The bill was opposed by LAJ and LSBA and was defeated. The language this year is to make it clear that no fee other than those in R.S. 40:1299.96(A)(2)(b) can be charged.

Presently the industry may charge for copies of records $1 per page for first 25 pages; $.50 per page for the next 475 pages and $.25 per page thereafter, plus a handling charge of $15 and postage.


Session in the Final Stretch
The Legislature is less than three weeks from adjournment. The session must adjourn no later than 6:00 p.m. Monday, June 23. Friday, June 20, at 6:00 p.m. is the deadline to vote for final passage of a bill in the second chamber. The final three days of the session will be devoted to conference committee reports and resolutions.


Stay in Touch
You can view live broadcasts of floor proceedings and some committee hearings through the Internet. Go to the Web portal of the Louisiana State Legislature to see which proceedings are broadcast and get instructions on how to tune in. Use this same link to contact your legislators, access information about bills, check committee schedules and more. 

Archived broadcasts of House and Senate proceedings are available on their respective Web sites.