HB 357 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

WORKERS COMPENSATION: Provides for the adoption of a medical fee reimbursement schedule for workers' compensation (RE +$100,000 SD EX See Note)

HB 357 establishes a medical reimbursement schedule for workers' compensation in Louisiana, setting fees for medical services, drugs, and supplies based on the average rates in neighboring states. The Office of Workers' Compensation Administration must create this schedule using data from at least 30 healthcare providers, with strict privacy rules to prevent identifying individual providers. The schedule will be updated annually, require quarterly legislative reporting, and take effect on January 1, 2027. This directly affects healthcare providers treating workers' compensation patients and the state agency managing the system.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 24, 2026 Last action Apr 8, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB357 Reengrossed → HB357 Engrossed · 3 edits · Apr 1, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized as the 'Engrossed' version, replacing the previous 'Reengrossed' draft. A critical substantive change was made to the effective date of the new medical fee reimbursement schedule, which is now set to take effect on January 1, 2027, instead of the previous text that only mentioned the date without explicitly stating when the schedule would begin.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the implementation of the reimbursement schedule has been clarified by adding the phrase 'take effect' to the operative clause.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new medical fee reimbursement schedule was explicitly set to January 1, 2027, by adding the words 'take effect' to the section.

TECHNICAL

The header and footer text were updated to reflect the bill's final status as 'HB 357 Engrossed' instead of 'HB 357 Reengrossed'.

A legal citation error was corrected in the text, changing the reference from '23:1034.2(C)' to '23:1034(C)'.

Floor votes · House Apr 1, 2026

How they voted

83–13

Passed · 9 other

Total votes 105

Apr 1, 2026

D Democratic33

16 Yea 13 Nay 4

48% Yea

R Republican72

67 Yea 5

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 82, nays 13. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (8-4).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors