The Office of Aging & Adult Services was formed in the Department of Health & Hospitals as a health care reform initiative, bringing together all of the long-term care programs that serve senior citizens and people with adult-onset disabilities. The office’s mission is to develop, provide and enhance services that offer choices for those in need of long-term care.

The Office of Health Insurance consolidates the regulations of state and federal requirements applicable to commercial and government-operated health benefit plans. The office works to ensure the viability of health benefit plans and other consumer protection efforts.

The Department of Insurance licenses and regulates Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C). The department has an Office of Health Insurance, which manages the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP).

The Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals (DHH) oversees the Medicaid program. DHH also has an office that specifically deals with aging and adult services.

Louisiana's Councils on Aging are dedicated to improving the lives of its elderly population by providing information and assistance in a variety of areas. The agency’s mission is to ensure that Louisiana citizens have the ability to age with dignity and independence in the manner of their choice.

The MNRO Unit oversees Medical Necessity Review Organizations so that all health plans follow the same standards when resolving disputes. This unit also ensures compliance by all health insurance issuers in the timely payment of health services. In addition, it maintains standards for credentialing of providers by health insurance issuers, as well as standards for notices and disclosures outlined in the Health Care Consumer Billing and Disclosure Protection Act of 2003.

Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) Plans are licensed and regulated under this division. Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) must be licensed and agents need proper registration. The department works with Medicare plans when complaints arise.

The Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA) develops, implements and administers public policy addressing the needs of elderly residents. The office also handles Older Americans Act program services and houses the state's long-term care ombudsman. The office is organized through the 70 Parish Councils on Aging. GOEA collects facts and statistics, and conducts special studies on conditions pertaining to employment, health, financial status, recreation, social adjustment or other conditions affecting elderly welfare. The agency is charged with making recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding improvements and additional resources to promote the welfare of the aging in the state.

The Supplemental Health Products Unit performs analysis and review of all Medicare supplemental benefit plan filings to ensure compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations. Examiners assist with: the interpretation of statutes, rules and regulations; filing procedures and fees; status requests on pending filings; and investigations of consumer complaints about supplemental health insurance products.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provide a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best. Louisiana has 37 area offices on aging.

Louisiana’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) is a part of a national program – called Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) in some states – that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIP, formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) grants program, was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare. The Louisiana agency annually releases Medicare Supplement Comparison Guides.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act. In Louisiana, SMP is run by eQHealth Solutions, in cooperation with the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA).

eQ Health Solutions is a not-for-profit health care management company that deals in such areas as care coordination, utilization review and quality improvement. The organization has served for more than 20 years as Louisiana’s Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), and oversees the state’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program. Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care, to help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act. eQ is formerly known as the Louisiana Health Care Review. The company also has contracts involving Medicaid. It is headquartered in Baton Rouge and has offices in Illinois, Mississippi and Florida.

Long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They resolve complaints and educate seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. They also provide information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

In addition to his position as CEO of Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center, Larry H. Hollier is a practicing vascular surgeon. He also served as dean of medicine at the university from 2004 to 2007. He has worked for the Health Sciences Center since 1975. Hollier is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Cardiology, the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Scotland. He earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center.

Before becoming CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, K. Scott Wester served as president and CEO of St. Francis Medical Center in Louisiana and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana. He joined Our Lady of the Lake in 1993 as an administrative resident and later served in various executive roles including administrator for related/partner organizations.

James T. Montgomery has more than 30 years of experience as a hospital executive working in various settings including nonprofit, for-profit and academic facilities. Before becoming president of Touro Infirmary, he served as the CEO of Corpus Christi Medical Center. He also held the position of CEO with the Tulane University Hospital and Clinic for seven years.

Robert Lynch became the CEO of Tulane University Hospital and Clinic in 2007. His experience includes assisting with the recovery of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics in the Gulf after Hurricane Katrina. He has also served as associate dean of veterans’ affairs at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and associate dean for veterans’ affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern.

Patrick J. Quinlan joined Ochsner Health System in 1998 as chief medical officer and became CEO in 2001. Previously, he served as chief medical officer of Lovelace Health Systems in Albuquerque, N.M. He earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and his master’s degree in health administration from the College of St. Francis in Albuquerque. He completed a dermatology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is board certified in dermatology.

Mark J. Peters became president and CEO of East Jefferson General Hospital in 2002. He originally joined the hospital in 2000 as senior vice president/medical director. Previously, he was chief medical officer and vice president of Medical Services at Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy, Ohio. He is a member of the American College of Physician Executives and received his medical degree from Ohio State University.

Roxane Townsend is the assistant vice president for health systems with the Louisiana State University (LSU) System. She is serving as an interim CEO for the LSU Health Care Services Division. Before she joined LSU, she worked for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) as the Medicaid medical director and deputy secretary. She also held the position of chief operating officer with the state DHH.

This House committee writes the budget for the state government.

This House committee considers legislation concerning the regulation of insurance in Louisiana.

This Senate committee considers legislation concerning the health of Louisiana residents.

This House committee considers legislation concerning the health of Louisiana residents.

This Senate committee writes the budget for state government.

This Senate committee considers legislation concerning the regulation of insurance in Louisiana.