Provides for the use of certain medical terminology in medical documentation (EG NO IMPACT See Note)

House Bill 288 creates two new statutory provisions in the Louisiana Revised Statutes requiring healthcare providers and entities to include specific medical terminology in patient documentation and billing records. The bill enacts R.S. 22:46.1, which applies to entities regulated under the Louisiana Insurance Code, and R.S. 40:1300.81, which applies to entities under the public health and safety code. Both provisions mandate that whenever the medical term "spontaneous abortion" appears in medical documentation, medical records, or medical billing materials, it must be followed in parentheses by the term "miscarriage." This dual-statute approach ensures the requirement applies across both the insurance regulatory framework and the broader healthcare regulatory structure.

The practical effect of this legislation extends to hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices, insurance companies, and other healthcare entities that generate or maintain medical documentation and billing records. When providers document pregnancy loss that occurs without medical intervention or induction, they must now include both the clinical term "spontaneous abortion" and the lay term "miscarriage" in parentheses. This applies to all forms of medical documentation, including patient charts, discharge summaries, billing codes, and insurance claims. Healthcare providers and billing staff will need to modify their documentation practices and electronic health record systems to ensure compliance with this dual-terminology requirement whenever this condition is documented.

The bill operates within Louisiana's existing regulatory framework for both health insurance and public health matters. R.S. 22:46.1 fits within Title 22 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, which governs insurance generally, while R.S. 40:1300.81 sits within Title 40, which covers public health and safety matters. The requirement applies specifically to terminology usage in medical documentation and does not alter the clinical definition, diagnosis, coding, or treatment protocols associated with spontaneous abortion. The legislation functions as a documentation standard rather than a clinical or medical practice change, requiring healthcare entities to present medical information using both the established medical terminology and a commonly understood alternative term simultaneously in their records and billing systems.