HB 218 requires Louisiana public schools to screen all students in grades K-12 for food insecurity at enrollment and once per semester, plus during school health clinic visits. The bill mandates using a free, age-appropriate screening tool selected by the state Department of Education and Health, with results kept confidential except for parents/guardians or authorized school staff. Schools must refer identified students to resources like meal programs, food pantries, and public assistance. Charter schools are exempt from this requirement under Section 3996(B)(24), but the bill applies directly to public school students and their families.
HB 198 requires Louisiana's Medicaid program to reimburse ambulatory surgical centers at least 100% of the Medicare rate for gastroenterology procedures. This directly affects outpatient surgical centers providing these specific medical services and ensures they receive consistent, updated payments. The bill mandates annual reimbursement adjustments to match Medicare rate changes and requires the Louisiana Department of Health to implement these changes by October 1, 2026. It also authorizes the Department to create necessary rules under state administrative procedures. This policy change standardizes payments for a defined set of procedures, aiming to maintain provider access to Medicaid coverage.
HB 181 authorizes the Louisiana Department of Revenue to share state income tax return data with the legislative auditor exclusively to improve Medicaid program integrity. It specifically permits this data sharing to verify Medicaid eligibility accuracy, detect fraud, and comply with existing Medicaid fraud laws. The bill restricts the use of this data to these three purposes only and requires formal agreements between agencies for data sharing. This affects Medicaid program participants and administrators by enabling targeted fraud prevention through cross-agency data access.
HCR 3 establishes a quarterly assessment on Louisiana hospitals to stabilize funding without using state general funds. It requires hospitals to pay a percentage of their inpatient and outpatient revenue (ranging from 1.38% to 6.74%, with exemptions for rural hospitals and small facilities under 40 beds). The collected funds support Medicaid reimbursement enhancements for hospitals, ensuring payments meet or exceed 2026 rates while aligning with federal CMS guidelines. This directly affects most acute care hospitals in Louisiana, excluding rural and small facilities, and aims to preserve hospital services for all residents.
SB 155 requires Louisiana health insurers to cover medically necessary dental procedures directly related to cancer treatment, such as infection prevention/treatment or addressing tooth decay caused by chemotherapy, radiation, or biological therapy. It specifically covers procedures within 30 days before treatment, during treatment, or as a result of treatment (including obturators for oral cavity defects), but excludes routine preventive care like cleanings. The law applies to all new health insurance plans issued on or after January 1, 2027, with existing plans required to comply by January 1, 2028. It does not apply to short-term policies, limited-benefit plans, or excepted benefits.
SB 250 requires Louisiana's Office of Group Benefits to contract with healthcare providers to offer comprehensive weight management services to plan participants. These services include FDA-approved medications, medically appropriate compounded treatments, medical evaluations, prescribing oversight, and follow-up care. The bill directly affects individuals enrolled in group health benefit plans covered under Louisiana's state programs. It establishes a formal mechanism for the Office of Group Benefits to provide these specific health services through qualified external partners. The bill is currently under review by the Finance Committee after being prefilled on February 26, 2026.
SB 295 requires all health insurance plans sold in Louisiana to cover medically necessary treatments for people with acquired brain injuries (ABIs), such as stroke or trauma survivors. It prohibits lifetime or unreasonable annual limits on treatment days/sessions, ensures ABI care isn’t subject to higher deductibles/copays than other benefits, and bans coverage denials based solely on treatment location (e.g., home vs. facility) if clinically appropriate. The bill defines covered services to include cognitive rehabilitation, neurobehavioral therapy, and community reintegration support, and mandates peer-reviewed appeals for denied claims. The bill is pending in the Insurance Committee after being prefilled in February 2026.
HB 430, known as the "MJ 911 Act," mandates that Lafayette Parish employers provide lifelong health insurance coverage for surviving spouses and children (including step- or adopted children) of law enforcement officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty. Specifically, it requires employers to pay for health insurance for surviving spouses for life and for children until age 18 (or until 23 if enrolled in school or disabled). The law applies retroactively to January 1, 2017, for all qualifying families and ensures coverage matches what active members receive. It does not require families to accept the coverage, allowing them to decline it if desired.
HB 833 creates the Sexual Assault Survivor Empowerment Task Force in Louisiana to study and recommend improvements to services for sexual assault survivors. The task force, composed of members from the attorney general's office, sheriffs' association, state legislators, and district attorneys, will evaluate needs like counseling, school/work accommodations, and mandatory training for schools/hospitals/law enforcement. It must submit a report with specific recommendations to the governor and legislature by February 1, 2027, after which the task force will terminate. This bill does not change existing laws but sets up a process to inform future legislation.
HB 656 establishes a pilot program to provide structured programming to specific inmates in Louisiana. It directly affects juvenile offenders and inmates held in parish jails or prisons under the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C). The program must include rehabilitation services (education/vocational training), mental health support, and suicide prevention initiatives. Programming will be delivered in-person or via video for accessibility, with DPS&C required to create implementing rules. This bill focuses on expanding access to support services within correctional facilities.
