HB 971

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 859
 HOUSE BILL NO. 971
 BY REPRESENTATIVES STAGNI, BERAULT, AND CHASSION
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:2116(B)(8) and 2197.1, relative to rural health clinics; to provide for
3Medicaid reimbursement rates of rural health clinics; to provide for facility need
4review; to provide for the promulgation and adoption of rules; to provide for a state
5plan amendment; to provide for an implementation date; and to provide for related
6matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8Section 1. R.S. 40:2116(B)(8) and 2197.1 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9§2116. Facility need review
10*       *  *
11B. The following healthcare providers shall be subject to facility need review
12to determine the need for a new or additional facility, provider, program, service, or
13bed:
14*       *  *
15(8) Types one and two rural health clinics.
16*       *  *
17§2197.1. Equality in Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural health clinics
18A. The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health shall take all
19necessary actions to equalize the Medicaid reimbursement rate between independent
20rural health clinics, also known as type one rural health clinics, and provider-based
21rural health clinics, also known as type two and three rural health clinics. In fiscal
22years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028, the Louisiana Department of Health shall increase
23the encounter rate that is in effect in the previous fiscal year for independent rural
24health clinics by forty-one dollars and fifty cents. The annual Medicare Economic
25Index inflationary adjustment shall be applied to this rate.
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 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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 HB NO. 971  ENROLLED
1B. The Louisiana Department of Health shall prepare a state plan amendment
2or promulgate and adopt rules, as necessary, to implement the provisions of this
3Section.
4C. The provisions of this Section are subject to the approval of the Centers
5for Medicare and Medicaid services.
6D. The Louisiana Department of Health shall submit a monthly report to the
7legislature that provides the number of encounters per month for each individual type
8one clinic and the total amount of monthly expenditures for each individual type one
9clinic.
10Section 2. Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this Act, the
11 Louisiana Department of Health shall take all necessary actions to implement the provisions
12 of Section 1 of this Act.
13Section 3.(A) The provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of this Act shall become effective
14 when an Act of the Louisiana Legislature containing a specific appropriation of monies for
15 the implementation of the provisions of this Act becomes effective.
16(B) The provisions of this Section shall become effective upon signature by the
17 governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become
18 law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the
19 Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the
20 legislature, the provisions of this Section shall become effective on the day following such
21 approval.
  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.