SB 129 Louisiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

INSURERS: Requires health insurers to cover proton therapy for cancer patients. (8/1/25) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 129 requires health insurance companies to cover proton therapy for cancer treatment when recommended by the American Society for Radiation Oncology guidelines. This directly affects cancer patients seeking this specialized treatment and health insurers who must provide coverage without denial. The bill prohibits insurers from refusing coverage for proton therapy under these specific clinical guidelines. It does not change existing coverage rules for other treatments or impose new financial burdens on the state, as noted in the bill's "EN NO IMPACT" designation.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 4, 2025 Signed Jun 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB129 Original → SB129 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the law to require health insurers to cover proton beam therapy for cancer patients when recommended by the American Society for Radiation Oncology. It also clarifies that coverage rules do not apply to short-term policies under twelve months or specific limited benefit plans. The effective date for new policies is set for January 1, 2026, with existing policies required to convert to the new standards by January 1, 2027.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include Representative Chassion as a sponsor and the coverage requirement was refined to specifically reference American Society for Radiation Oncology guidelines. Additionally, the applicability was clarified to explicitly exclude short-term policies and limited health benefit plans.

ELIGIBILITY

The requirement for coverage now specifically mandates that proton therapy be recommended by the American Society for Radiation Oncology practice guidelines.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new provision explicitly stating that the coverage requirements do not apply to plans providing coverage for excepted benefits, limited health benefit insurance plans, or short-term policies with a term of less than twelve months.

TIMELINE

Extended the deadline for existing policies to convert to the new provisions from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027.

TECHNICAL

Added Representative Chassion as a co-sponsor to the bill.

Floor votes · Senate May 7, 2025 · House Jun 2, 2025

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 37

May 7, 2025

D Democratic11

8 Yea 3

72% Yea

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

Jun 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 97, nays 2. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 22, 2025

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 8, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Insurance.

lower

May 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Recalled from Committee.

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Committee

Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted; ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Insurance.

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor