Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 22, 2026

HB 962: NURSES: Provides relative to reconstitution of medications for intravenous therapy

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands nurses' scope of practice to improve patient access to healthcare services and treatment options.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 30: HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to telehealth. (gov sig)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves regulatory barriers for telehealth access to obesity treatment, improving patient access to care under license scope and standard of care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 32: HEALTH/HOSPITALS DEPT: Establishes a Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within the Louisiana Department of Health. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes bereavement care initiative requiring hospital staff training and resources for grieving parents, improving mental health support access in healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 84: HEALTH/ACC INSURANCE: Provides relative to health insurance coverage for prostate cancer screening. (gov sig) (EN +$5,100 SG EX See Note)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no-cost prostate cancer screening coverage for specified age groups, expanding access and removing financial barriers under insurance.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 113: HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to the Local Healthcare Provider Participation Program. (gov sig)

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes local assessments to fund healthcare program, advancing public service funding through tax mechanism for essential services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates backup funding mechanism for healthcare providers via municipal assessments, ensuring continued program access and stability for local healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 192: HEALTH/ACC INSURANCE: Provides for the method of dental reimbursement or payments. (gov sig)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires written consent for dental payment method changes, protecting provider autonomy and ensuring stable insurance networks within healthcare services.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 219: HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Creates the office of health and nutrition within the Louisiana Department of Health. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Office of Health and Nutrition to coordinate WIC, CSFP, and fitness programs, strengthening policy development and program coordination within state health initiatives.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 221: HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to ambulance providers. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for ambulance treatment-in-place services, expanding access to non-transport care and requiring reimbursement at existing rates without restrictive communication requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 255: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides relative to psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services. (8/1/26)

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates higher qualifications for PSR services, enhancing rehabilitation quality to reduce recidivism - aligns with criminal justice reform goals of improving rehabilitation programs.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires bachelor's degrees for PSR staff to maintain Medicaid reimbursement, strengthening mental health service quality standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 253: PUBLIC HEALTH: Provides relative to peptides. (8/1/26)

SB 253 prevents Louisiana's professional licensing boards from banning healthcare providers with prescriptive authority from prescribing peptides shipped from FDA-registered 503B facilities or FDA-registered compounding pharmacies. It directly affects doctors and other licensed prescribers who currently use such peptide sources. The bill requires providers to verify that prescribed peptides are not on the FDA's prohibited compounding list. This law aims to remove regulatory barriers for access to specific peptide treatments while ensuring compliance with federal FDA guidelines.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves regulatory barriers for prescribers to access FDA-registered peptide sources, directly improving patient access to treatments without restricting coverage or funding.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare