HB 291 prevents health insurers in Louisiana from penalizing hospitals or clinics (participating healthcare facilities) solely because another provider at that facility - like a doctor or specialist - is dropped from the insurer's network. The bill directly affects healthcare facilities that coordinate patient care with multiple providers, ensuring they won’t face payment cuts or contract terminations due to a partner provider’s network status. Key provisions ban insurers from reducing payments or ending agreements with facilities based on another provider’s network exclusion, and require that any contract clauses attempting to override this rule are void. This policy change aims to stabilize provider relationships and care continuity for patients.
HB 823 establishes a pilot program in Orleans Parish that offers homeless individuals facing criminal charges an alternative to court proceedings. Instead of traditional sentencing, eligible defendants can participate in a diversion program providing housing assistance, mental health services, job training, and substance abuse treatment. If participants successfully complete the program’s requirements, the criminal charges are dismissed without a conviction. The program requires annual evaluations and reporting to the Louisiana Supreme Court, aiming to reduce recidivism, court workload, and prison overcrowding while addressing homelessness through community partnerships.
HB 766 requires health insurers in Louisiana to cover orally administered anti-cancer medications on the same terms as intravenously administered ones. It prohibits insurers from imposing higher copays, deductibles, or prior authorizations for oral medications compared to IV treatments, and bans programs that ignore drug discounts (like "accumulator" programs). The bill caps out-of-pocket costs for oral anti-cancer drugs at $100 per prescription and ensures cost-sharing counts toward annual out-of-pocket maximums. It applies to most health plans but excludes limited-benefit policies, high-deductible plans with HSAs, and self-funded ERISA plans. This directly affects cancer patients and insurers by reducing financial barriers to oral medication access.
This Louisiana House resolution asks various medical and coding organizations to review and update terms used to describe miscarriage and pregnancy loss. The bill specifically urges groups like the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association to replace older phrases such as "spontaneous abortion" with language that is more compassionate and less likely to cause confusion or emotional distress. By recommending terms like "early pregnancy loss" or "miscarriage," the resolution aims to ensure that clinical records and billing documents reflect patient preferences while maintaining medical accuracy. This request is based on findings that current terminology can stigmatize women and negatively impact their mental health during a traumatic time.
This resolution asks the LSU AgCenter to work with other state agencies to study how to help small and mid-sized farms in Louisiana succeed. The study will focus on creating better training, improving access to processing and storage facilities, and developing programs to encourage young people to enter the agricultural workforce. Specific areas of interest include marketing skills, mental health support for farmers, and expanding opportunities for agritourism and direct-to-consumer sales. The agencies involved must submit a report with their findings and policy recommendations to the House by February 1, 2027.
HB 1247 establishes a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Coordinator to oversee and support forensic care for sexual assault survivors across the state. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, law enforcement agencies, and survivors by creating a centralized role to improve the consistency and quality of medical examinations and evidence collection. Key provisions include defining the coordinator's responsibilities, setting up a funding mechanism, and outlining procedures for training and certification of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. The legislation aims to streamline the response to sexual assaults by ensuring survivors receive standardized, trauma-informed care from qualified professionals.
HB 1235 requires health insurance plans to cover prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and services based on medical necessity, as determined by the insured's doctors and specialists. The bill mandates that coverage levels must at least match federal standards for the elderly and disabled, while also prohibiting blanket exclusions for items used in physical activities or daily hygiene. Additionally, the legislation establishes specific appeal processes for denied claims and outlines detailed factors insurers must consider when evaluating medical necessity, such as the patient's current condition and functional needs.
HB 740 creates an independent review process for Medicaid claims related to the Coordinated System of Care (CSoC) program in Louisiana. It directly affects behavioral health providers and families enrolled in CSoC, which serves youth with significant behavioral health challenges who are in or at risk of out-of-home placement. The bill establishes that claims denials for CSoC services must undergo review by an independent third party, rather than being handled under the standard Medicaid managed care process. This change ensures CSoC-specific claims get specialized review, addressing gaps in the current system for this vulnerable population.
This bill directs the Louisiana Department of Health to conduct a study identifying gaps in acute healthcare access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The legislation also establishes a committee to oversee this study, which will include representatives from the House and Senate, as well as one member appointed by the Senate president. The primary goal is to gather data on where and how these individuals face barriers in receiving timely medical care. Once the study is complete, the department is required to submit a report detailing its findings to the legislature.
SB 501, known as the Campus Awareness Initiative, requires public colleges and universities in Louisiana to display specific signs in student health centers. These signs, which must feature the message "Worried about STIs? Just Check!" along with a link to state resources, aim to promote awareness of sexually transmitted infection prevention, screening, and treatment. The Louisiana Department of Health or a designated nonprofit organization is responsible for designing and producing these durable signs, though the department may use donated funds or accept donated signs to cover costs. This bill directly affects public postsecondary institutions and their health services by mandating the placement of these informational displays in patient admission, waiting, and consultation areas.
