Mills To Chair Senate Health And Welfare Committee

The Senate's Health and Welfare Committee is expected to be one of the busier committees in this legislative session. With Governor Edwards executive order to expand Medicaid to more of our state's citizens you can easily see why. Before that expansion can really begin to happen there is a need for revamped policies and procedures.

Getting this legislation done right is a big concern for Senator Fred Mills of Parks. However it's not the only concern he has as he takes over the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chairmanship.

Rule writing for Medicaid expansion, probably issues as far as the public/private partnerships with the LSU Hospital system, and I'm sure there's going to be many practice standard, diverse issues with a lot of providers.

Mills is a supporter of expanding Medicaid to more Louisiana citizens.

I think, if we do it in a thoughtful way, it can help a lot of people in Louisiana.  It can also help the providers that take care of indigent care.

Of course the biggest concern on Medicaid expansion is the money. How is the state going to come up with the revenue needed to expand a program that is already walking a thin financial line.

I'm hoping everybody has a thoughtful discussion and we look at not only the welfare of the patient, but also what it means to the finances of Louisiana.

Mills comments were reported in a story published by the Louisiana Radio Network.