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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
SB 369 requires Louisiana's state insurance plans (like Medicaid or Group Benefits) to pay pharmaceutical manufacturers no more than Medicare's price for covered drugs. It also prohibits insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from reimbursing less than Medicare's price for any brand-name, biosimilar, or generic drug. This sets Medicare's price as both a maximum for state plan purchases and a minimum for reimbursement, directly affecting drug manufacturers, insurers, and pharmacies serving Louisiana's state health programs. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and authorizes the state insurance commissioner to enforce these rules.
HB 897 protects patient healthcare data for participants in Louisiana's Pregnancy and Baby Care Initiative. It requires healthcare providers (general contractors and subcontractors) to obtain written consent before sharing any identifiable health information, provide clear privacy notices explaining what data will be shared and with whom, and offer an easy way for patients to revoke consent. Providers must also give patients free access to their records within 10 business days. Violations could lead to contract termination by the Department of Children and Family Services, following standard state procedures.
SB 372 expands the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner's authority to examine pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) financial records. It allows the commissioner to access detailed payment data between insurers, PBMs, and pharmacies to verify the accuracy of required transparency reports. The bill specifically authorizes review of individual drug payment amounts paid by insurers to PBMs and by PBMs to pharmacies. This directly affects PBMs, insurers, and pharmacies by increasing oversight of their financial transactions. The law aims to improve transparency in how PBMs handle drug payments within the insurance system.
