To use historical averages to calculate the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage for disaster affected States for purposes of the Medicaid Program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to an important issue that, if left uncorrected, will affect the lives of many Louisianans. The issue is Louisiana's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP.

FMAP is the percentage by which the Federal Government reimburses a State for Medicaid expenses and is calculated using per capita income. In Louisiana, we face a massive drop in our FMAP because relief and recovery dollars that flowed into the State after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita artificially inflated our per capita income.

Senator Mary Landrieu was successful in including a provision in the Senate health care bill similar to H.R. 4047, which I introduced last year, to address the FMAP situation in Louisiana. Some have disparagingly referred to her provision as the Louisiana purchase. This is unfortunate, because Senator Mary Landrieu is doing what is right for Louisiana and other States similarly situated. I may have some serious concerns about provisions of the Senate health care bill, but this is not one of them.

I applaud the Senator and her persistence and President Obama for his support of this provision because it is necessary for the State, for the gulf region, and for other States that may face FMAP predicaments like Louisiana.