HB 609

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 558
 HOUSE BILL NO. 609
 BY REPRESENTATIVES CHASSION, ADAMS, BAYHAM, BEAULLIEU, BERAULT,
  BILLINGS, BOYD, BRYANT, BUTLER, CARVER, CHENEVERT, CREWS,
  ECHOLS, GREEN, HILFERTY, HORTON, MIKE JOHNSON, JORDAN, KNOX,
  LAFLEUR, LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MILLER,
  MOORE, MURRAY, NEWELL, OWEN, PHELPS, SAWYER, SCHLEGEL,
  TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY, AND WYBLE
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:1165.1(D), relative to healthcare information records; to provide for the
3exemption of fees for medical records when requested for disability benefits
4administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Louisiana
5Department of Veterans Affairs; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7Section 1. R.S. 40:1165.1(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8§1165.1. Healthcare information; records
9*       *  *
10D.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, no
11healthcare provider, healthcare facility, or custodian of healthcare information shall
12charge any fee for the preparation, reproduction, handling, or transmission of
13medical records when such records are requested by or on behalf of a veteran for the
14sole purpose of submitting a claim for disability benefits administered by the United
15States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Louisiana Department of Veterans
16Affairs.
17(2) For purposes of this Subsection, "veteran" has the same meaning as
18provided in R.S. 13:5364.
19(3) The exemption provided in this Subsection shall apply only once per
20veteran and shall not apply to any subsequent request for medical records regardless
21of purpose.
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 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
HB NO. 609  ENROLLED
1(4) A healthcare provider or custodian may require reasonable documentation
2establishing veteran status and that the request is made in connection with a
3disability benefits claim prior to applying the exemption.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.