§979.3. Legislative findings; purpose

A. The Legislature of Louisiana does hereby find and declare that, due to compelling moral and economic reasons, Louisiana must enact positive reforms to move the state's health care system in the right direction.

B. The Legislature of Louisiana does hereby find and declare that Louisiana should expand access to affordable high quality health care. Our state must create a solid safety net for the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick. Louisiana must seek to offer to its citizens a health care system that allows the patient to be in control, working with his own doctor and other health care providers. Louisiana must work on reducing health care costs, since many of Louisiana's citizens struggle to afford health care. Louisiana must work to preserve and strengthen the safety net for the most vulnerable in our state, including those with pre-existing conditions. Louisiana must focus on enhancing patient choice, removing obstacles to portability, and promoting consumer selection.

C. The Legislature of Louisiana does hereby find and declare that true health reform puts doctors and patients, not government bureaucrats, at the heart of all health policy decisions.

D. The purposes of this state in implementing the Louisiana First America Next Freedom and Empowerment Plan are as follows:

(1) To lower health care costs by providing incentives for Louisiana consumers to serve as smart health care shoppers, to save money by engaging in healthy behaviors, and to take control of their health care choices.

(2) To protect the most vulnerable Louisiana citizens by targeting government resources to those most at risk in our state and by enacting reforms that would guarantee health care access to individuals with pre-existing conditions, senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, and the unborn.

(3) To provide portability and choice to Louisiana consumers by offering personalized choices so that consumers can buy the health care coverage plan they want, not the plan a government bureaucrat tells them to purchase.

Acts 2014, No. 783, §1, eff. June 19, 2014.