Senate gives final OK to patient caregiver bill
BATON ROUGE - A proposal to give people more information about how to properly care for patients who are discharged from the hospital has received final legislative passage.
The Senate sent the measure to the governor's desk with a 37-0 vote Wednesday. Gov. John Bel Edwards supports the bill and is expected to sign it into law.
The bill requires hospitals to give each patient the opportunity to designate a caregiver. Hospitals will have to attempt to consult with designated caregivers and give them discharge plans describing patients' after-care assistance needs.
The House voted 94-0 Tuesday for the bill by Sen. Yvonne Dorsey Colomb, a Baton Rouge Democrat.
AARP Louisiana says more than 20 other states have similar laws.