Louisiana lawmakers are advancing several bills that could affect workers’ comp medical reimbursement, prescription authorization, and treatment standards. If enacted, these bills would change reimbursement methodologies, data reporting requirements, and claims administration processes in Louisiana.

Senate Bill 408 would modernize Louisiana’s workers’ comp medical reimbursement system by establishing a statewide medical claims database, revising the fee schedule, and strengthening payment enforcement. The bill expands payer reporting requirements and increases penalties for late payment.

This bill was taken up for final consideration in the Senate on April 29, 2026, but an objection stopped the debate and no vote was taken. The bill remains pending Senate approval before it can advance to the House.

House Bill 1047 aims to reduce delays in access to time sensitive medications by revising prescription drug authorization and removing certain medications from the Form 1010 dispute process, while preserving payer utilization review authority.

Lawmakers raised questions about how the bill would affect medication oversight and authorization during an April 28, 2026 hearing in the House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations, prompting the author to pause the bill to allow for further discussion and refinement before it’s expected to return to committee on May 7th.

House Bill 819 would change how medical necessity is evaluated by shifting Louisiana’s Medical Treatment Guidelines to rely on the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) as the primary reference.

After a vote in the House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations did not advance the bill on April 28, 2026, the author agreed to pause further action to address questions about the scope, implementation, and potential impact of adopting ODG before the bill is reconsidered.