La. Health Conference Set for Sept. 23

The Eighth Annual Health Care Conference, sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Insurance, will focus on regulatory issues in the private insurance market and their impact on rising health insurance premiums, according to Commissioner of Insurance Robert Wooley.

The Conference will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Baton Rouge. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Wooley will open the conference at 8:30 a.m. and make closing remarks at 4:30 p.m.

The Honorable Troy Hebert, Chairman of the Louisiana House Insurance Committee, will present a health insurance legislative overview and U.S. Senator John Breaux will explain National Health Care Reform efforts via a special video presentation.

Syndicated columnist John Maginnis is featured as the keynote speaker. Other presenters and panelists will include state and national health care experts. Conference participants will include legal, medical, academic and business professionals as well as legislators and consumers from around the state.

Anyone interested in attending can contact Vanessa Vince by phone at 225-342-5075 or by e-mail at vvince@ldi.state.la.us. The registration form and agenda, along with hotel accommodation information, are listed on the Department of Insurance Web site: www.ldi.la.gov

Other HEALTH CARE Conference agenda topics
The Private Insurance Market – National health care policy experts, health care professionals and state regulators will discuss the potential impact of Association Health Plans (AHPs) federal legislation, group purchasing arrangements, Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and issues related to ever-increasing health insurance premiums.

Hospitals, Physicians and Carriers – This panel of federal and state government officials, legal experts, providers and industry experts will discuss both the HIPAA/HHS Administrative Simplification Regulations regarding transaction and code set standards for filing and paying health claims and the ERISA claims payment rules and their impact on the state MNRO and Timely Claims Payment laws.

State Efforts for Covering the Uninsured – This multi-state panel will discuss the incremental approaches adopted during the 2003 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature to provide insurance coverage for Louisiana’s uninsured citizens as well as the experience other states have had when using similar approaches.

Focused Care Facilities – As new focused care facilities continue to emerge in the state of Louisiana as a health care delivery system, alternative business models for hospitals and their work with physicians will continue to evolve. Panelists representing focused care facilities as well as community hospitals will discuss important issues surrounding competition, medical costs, patient safety and the economic impact on Louisiana and the nation.

More than 25 health exhibits will be available to conferees throughout the day. Also, life, health and accident producers who attend may earn up to six hours of CE credit.