HB 77 requires the Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court to pay 100% of group insurance premiums (including life, health, dental, and medical expense coverage) for qualifying retirees. It directly affects former Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court employees who retire with at least 20 years of full-time service, are age 55 or older, and begin receiving retirement benefits immediately upon retirement. The bill specifically covers standard group insurance plans but excludes supplemental insurance options. This provision is limited to Lincoln Parish and applies only to retirees meeting these exact service and age requirements.
This bill updates Louisiana law to clarify the roles of nurses in administering medications within public health clinics. It allows registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and advanced practice registered nurses to insert subcutaneous medication implants and distribute certain medications for treating sexually transmitted diseases or preventing pregnancy under physician-approved protocols. Additionally, the bill permits these licensed nurses to administer reconstituted medications for intravenous therapy when used according to the medication's labeling, while explicitly stating that this process does not constitute compounding. The changes apply specifically to nurses employed by municipal, parochial, or state-operated public health clinics and require adherence to established procedures and protocols.
SB 30 prohibits Louisiana state agencies and licensing boards from banning telehealth services for evaluating, diagnosing, or treating obesity and related metabolic conditions. It directly affects licensed healthcare providers who use telehealth to deliver these services. The bill requires that providers may prescribe FDA-approved or compounded noncontrolled medications via telehealth while operating within their license scope and standard of care. This policy change removes regulatory barriers to telehealth for these specific conditions, without altering existing licensure requirements.
SB 32 establishes the Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within Louisiana's Department of Health to improve support for families experiencing pregnancy loss or infant death. The bill requires hospitals providing maternity care to receive staff training on supporting grieving parents, access to bereavement resources (like counseling referrals), and perinatal bereavement devices. It prioritizes hospitals serving high-risk patients, delivering many babies, or lacking current bereavement resources. The initiative can fund these services using voluntary monies, including federal grants and donations, without imposing new taxes.
SB 84 requires all health insurance plans sold in Louisiana to cover prostate cancer screening for men aged 40-49 (as medically appropriate) and men over 50, following National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. It mandates that insurers cover these screenings without any out-of-pocket costs for enrollees, including deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. The law applies to new policies starting January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects Louisiana health insurers and their policyholders by guaranteeing no-cost access to recommended prostate cancer screenings.
SB 113 establishes a backup mechanism for Louisiana's Local Healthcare Provider Participation Program in Calcasieu Parish. If the parish fails to authorize a local hospital assessment payment by June 1, 2026, municipalities within the parish with populations over 60,000 may independently authorize such assessments for healthcare providers operating within their city limits. The bill treats these municipalities as equivalent to parishes for compliance purposes, requiring them to meet the same program requirements. This procedural bill directly affects Calcasieu Parish and its larger municipalities, clarifying governance authority for healthcare funding.
SB 192 requires dental insurance plans in Louisiana to obtain written, explicit consent ("express acceptance") from dentists before switching their payment method to electronic funds transfer or credit card. It defines "express acceptance" as a clear, written agreement from the dental provider, eliminating implied or ambiguous consent. The bill applies to all new dental insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects dental insurance plans and dentists by mandating written agreement for payment method changes.
SB 219 creates a new "Office of Health and Nutrition" within the Louisiana Department of Health. This office will coordinate existing state programs including the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) supplemental nutrition program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and physical fitness initiatives. It establishes an executive director who reports directly to the Health Secretary and outlines the office's duties to lead and develop policy for these nutrition and health programs. The bill amends existing statutes to formally integrate this office into the department's structure without changing eligibility or funding for the programs it coordinates.
SB 221 establishes that "treatment-in-place" services - where ambulance providers assess and treat patients at the scene of a 911 call without transporting them - must be covered under Louisiana's Medicaid program (medical assistance program). Ambulance providers (excluding air ambulance services) will be reimbursed at existing Medicaid fee schedule rates for these services, without requiring real-time video or audio communication with a doctor for reimbursement. The bill mandates that such services follow medical protocols and the provider's scope of practice, while the Louisiana Department of Health will create implementing rules. This directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries receiving non-transport emergency care and ambulance providers who serve them.
SB 255 requires Medicaid-funded behavioral health providers in Louisiana to ensure staff delivering psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services hold at least a bachelor's degree in specific fields like counseling, social work, or psychology. This affects all licensed providers seeking Medicaid reimbursement for PSR services. The bill mandates these educational qualifications as a condition for continued reimbursement, updating existing Medicaid eligibility rules. The measure is pending legislative review and would not take effect until enacted.
