By: Carrie L. Jones
La. R.S. 51:413 requires licensed providers who use the term “Doctor” or “Dr.” in advertising to also identify the degree that entitles them to use the protected title. HB 423, now Act 362 (effective August 1, 2025), expands enforcement mechanisms available under the statute.
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By: Emily Black Grey
Background: A New Wave of CAH Terminations
Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status is vital to the survival of small, rural hospitals that rely on the enhanced Medicare reimbursement that the program provides. Losing CAH status can mean financial ruin, service reductions, or full hospital closure. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun revoking CAH designations based on new mileage calculations, even where there has been no change to a hospital’s location, the roads, or the terrain. In several recent cases, CMS used simplified mapping tools like Google Maps to reverse its prior decision on CAH status, disregarding prior determinations with re-measured driving distances.
Continue readingBy: Carrie L. Jones
Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath (now Act 463 of the 2025 Regular Session) positions Louisiana at the forefront of the growing Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. The new law introduces sweeping measures aimed at improving public health and nutrition transparency. Key provisions include restaurant transparency, school nutrition standards, consumer labeling, and educating healthcare providers.
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By: Robert Hinyub, III
Written by: Kirti Vaidya Reddy, Quarles and Robert Hinyub III, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P.
As some studies estimate that nearly 23% of the adult population lives with a mental illness, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into mental health care has transformative potential in terms of accessibility, cost reduction, personalization, and provider efficiency. To improve the prediction of risk of mental health disorders and the treatment of mental health, AI is commonly used for: (1) AI therapy, (2) wearables that interpret bodily signals using sensors and providing assistance when needed, (3) diagnosing and predicting outcomes by analyzing patient data, (4) improving adherence to treatment by using AI to predict when a patient is likely to slip into noncompliance or issue reminders for medication or provider appointments, and (5) personalizing treatments and adjusting individual treatment plans. To support these advancements, the American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Board has incorporated billing codes applicable to the use of AI as well as AI taxonomy that provides guidance for classifying various AI-powered medical services applications. While AI has potential to improve behavioral health care, it also presents challenges as technology is advancing at a much faster pace than regulatory controls that ensure safety and efficacy. This article discusses various challenges with the use of AI in the behavioral health setting and regulatory developments that are attempting to provide safeguards in this dynamic space.
Continue readingBy: Carrie L. Jones
In a recent decision, the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal clarified the limits of the peer review privilege under La. R.S. 13:3715.3 in a malpractice case involving the death of a patient following treatment at a Louisiana hospital.
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