Louisiana To Begin Covering Behavioral Services for Children in Medicaid

Louisiana's failure to meet a federal court deadline will result in the state expanding psychological services to all children in its Medicaid program at an estimated cost of $30 million per year in federal and state funds, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. About 400,000 Medicaid-eligible people under the age of 21 will now be eligible for the psychological services. The expansion stems from a 1997 federal lawsuit known as the Chisholm case, which determined that Louisiana must comply with a federal law requiring states to offer all necessary medical care covered by Medicaid. The case was originally brought by a class of 3,400 mentally retarded and developmentally disabled Louisiana children who were on a waiting list for specialized services. The court ordered the state to develop a plan to provide those children services. State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary David Hood said the state did not intend to miss the deadline for compliance set by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier but had determined the department's original plan to comply with the court ruling would not be successful. The initial plan would have placed a team of behavioral experts in each region of the state to help parents obtain services for their autistic children. But because the state did not follow through with the plan before the court-imposed deadline, the state was found in contempt and now must expand behavioral services to all children in Medicaid. According to Hood, the department is sending letters to approximately 480 licensed psychologists asking them to participate in the Medicaid program; the state expects about 25% of them will sign up. In addition, parents of children involved in the Chisholm suit will receive letters notifying them that they will have access to psychologists if needed (Baton Rouge Advocate, 7/31).