LSU hospitals financing plan questioned

The Jindal administration's new financing plan for private takeover of LSU hospitals has attracted more questions from the federal health agency. The state Medicaid agency quickly responded to the inquiry as it attempts to expedite the approval process, state Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jeff Reynolds said late Tuesday. He said the questions posed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services "were routine in nature and part of the standard approval process." "We continue to be encouraged by our conversations with federal officials and believe that the new state plan amendment is written to meet federal requirements for a sound reimbursement methodology," Reynolds said in a statement.