Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 45: HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to hospice care. (gov sig) (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

This bill exempts certain nonprofit hospices providing free end-of-life care from standard hospice licensure requirements. It directly affects nonprofit organizations that offer no-cost, home-like care to terminally ill patients, provided they meet three criteria: charging no fees to patients/families, receiving no insurance payments (including Medicare/Medicaid), and limiting accommodations to three private bedrooms. The bill treats these exempt organizations as the patient’s residence for care purposes, requiring medications to be handled like home care, and allows designated caregivers (even without licenses) to perform tasks under a hospice provider’s plan. These changes aim to expand access to low-cost hospice options while clarifying care delivery standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts nonprofit hospices from licensure requirements, enabling free end-of-life care access without insurance billing or fees.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 193: HEALTH/SICKLE CELL ANEM: Provides for the membership of the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission

HB 193 restructures the membership of Louisiana's Sickle Cell Commission by specifying who serves on it. The bill requires the governor to appoint 13 members (with Senate confirmation), including key health officials like the Louisiana Department of Health secretary and Medicaid director, plus executive directors from seven regional sickle cell associations across the state. It repeals previous membership provisions that listed additional, less-specific roles. This is a procedural change affecting only the commission's composition, not sickle cell treatment or funding.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestructures sickle cell commission with health officials to improve oversight of sickle cell care, a public health program.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 124: HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to peer review of health systems. (8/1/26)

SB 124 clarifies that peer review records for healthcare providers and facilities in Louisiana are confidential, meaning they cannot be disclosed in court or through discovery, except when a provider's professional privileges are under review. It defines a "health system" as two or more hospitals under common ownership and permits such systems to share peer review information among their own hospitals for credentialing, quality improvement, or patient safety purposes without losing confidentiality. The bill also shields healthcare providers and institutions from liability when sharing peer review information in good faith for these specific uses. This bill directly affects hospitals, health systems, and healthcare providers who participate in or are subject to peer review processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies peer review confidentiality, enabling health systems to share quality improvement data without disclosure risks, supporting systemic healthcare quality and patient safety initiatives.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 169: GENETICS: Provides relative to biomarker testing. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 169 requires health insurance plans in Louisiana to cover biomarker testing for patients needing personalized medical treatment, such as cancer care guided by genetic markers. It defines "clinical utility" through specific criteria to ensure tests are covered without unnecessary hurdles. The law prevents insurers from denying coverage based on laboratory classifications or unrelated credentialing, ensuring the test itself - not the lab - is the focus of coverage. This directly affects patients seeking biomarker tests and insurers, reducing the need for repeated biopsies by mandating seamless coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for biomarker testing in personalized cancer care, expanding patient access and preventing coverage denials based on lab classification.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 181: CHARITABLE GAMING: Provides an exemption for nonprofit healthcare organizations to hold and operate a license for conducting certain raffles. (8/1/26)

SB 181 exempts nonprofit healthcare organizations in Louisiana from needing a state license to hold charitable games of chance (like raffles or bingo). Instead, these organizations must annually notify the Office of Charitable Gaming of their participation. The bill defines "nonprofit healthcare organization" broadly to include healthcare providers, their parent organizations, affiliates, and foundations that are tax-exempt and licensed in Louisiana. This change directly affects eligible healthcare groups, allowing them to operate games without a license while maintaining reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts healthcare nonprofits from licensing for charitable gaming, enabling easier fundraising to support healthcare services and operations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 190: NURSING HOMES: Provides relative to nursing home licenses. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

SB 190 requires Louisiana nursing homes identified by federal authorities as candidates for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' "Special Focus Facility Program" (due to persistent safety issues like abuse or health risks) to undergo enhanced state oversight. It mandates facilities to notify residents about safety concerns, offer transfer options, and comply with stricter state requirements - including quarterly unannounced inspections, root cause analyses, and staffing adjustments. If a facility fails to meet these requirements within 18 months, the state can revoke its license. The bill also prohibits repeat participation in the program, requiring license revocation or facility closure for repeat offenders.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates enhanced oversight for nursing homes with safety issues, requiring resident notifications, transfer options, and stricter inspections to protect patient safety in healthcare facilities.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates stricter safety oversight, quarterly inspections, and staffing adjustments for nursing homes with safety issues, directly improving workplace safety standards for workers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 222: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides for Medicaid behavioral health services. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 222 streamlines Medicaid behavioral health services in Louisiana by removing unnecessary administrative barriers for providers. It prohibits requiring pre-employment reference letters (§302), eliminates most CPR/first aid certification demands for staff (§303), aligns documentation timelines with federal standards (§305), and allows physician assistants with specific experience to serve as medical directors (§307). The bill also requires the state to seek federal approval for telehealth reimbursement of psychosocial services by July 2026 (§308). These changes directly affect Medicaid behavioral health providers, aiming to reduce duplication and expand workforce flexibility while maintaining care quality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves administrative barriers for Medicaid behavioral health providers, improving access to mental health services and aligning with federal standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 236: HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to kidney disease. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 236 requires the Louisiana Department of Health to annually review Medicaid coverage for medications and treatments for chronic and rare kidney diseases, ensuring they meet patient needs. It mandates public input during these reviews and directs the department to partner with kidney disease organizations to boost education and early screening. The bill also requires an annual report to the legislature by January 15 each year, detailing review findings and recommendations. This affects Medicaid enrollees diagnosed with kidney disease in Louisiana by improving access to appropriate care and promoting early detection. The law focuses on systematic reviews and transparency, not changing Medicaid eligibility or funding.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires annual Medicaid coverage reviews for kidney disease treatments with patient input and partnerships to improve access, aligning with support indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 273: HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to inpatient licensed facilities. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

SB 273 establishes new requirements for hospice care provided in non-hospice inpatient facilities like nursing homes and assisted living centers in Louisiana. It mandates written care plans for hospice patients detailing providers, care responsibilities, and family contacts; requires facilities to notify hospice providers and families during transfers; and creates patient logs tracking hydration/nutrition decisions and family communication. The bill directly affects hospice patients, their families, and facility staff by clarifying accountability and communication protocols during care. The Louisiana Department of Health will oversee compliance, investigate complaints, and enforce penalties for violations of these provisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates written care plans, transfer notifications, and patient logs for hospice care in facilities, enhancing patient rights and care coordination in vulnerable settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 915: MEDICAID: Provides with respect to utilization management practices (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

HB 915 sets strict deadlines for Louisiana Medicaid managed care organizations to approve or deny medical service requests. It requires decisions within 5 business days for standard requests (2 days for inpatient care, 72 hours for urgent cases), with clear denial notices including policy references. The bill directly affects healthcare providers and Medicaid managed care organizations by mandating timely reviews and prohibiting claim denials for late decisions. Key provisions include requiring written notice of denials within two business days, allowing limited extensions for additional clinical information, and banning retroactive claim denials after services are provided. This procedural bill focuses on streamlining authorization processes to reduce administrative delays for Medicaid enrollees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates strict deadlines for Medicaid service approvals, improving patient access and preventing denials due to administrative delays.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare