HB 1030

HLS 26RS-1597  REENGROSSED
 2026 Regular Session
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1030
 BY REPRESENTATIVE SPELL
 MEDICAID: Provides relative to nonemergency medical transportation for individuals with
  mental illness
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:1257.1(5) through (7) and 1257.6, relative to nonemergency medical
3transportation for those with mental illnesses; to provide for definitions; to provide
4for transportation for psychiatric services; to provide for reimbursement for
5transportation for psychiatric services; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7Section 1. R.S. 40:1257.1(5) through (7) and 1257.6 are hereby enacted to read as
8 follows:
9§1257.1. Definitions
10As used in this Part, the following terms have the meaning ascribed in this
11Section:
12*       *  *
13(5) "Institution for mental diseases" means an institution for mental diseases
14as defined in 42 CFR 435.1010 and 42 CFR 441.13 as those regulations may be
15amended.
16(6) "Institution for mental diseases psychiatric service" means an inpatient
17or outpatient psychiatric or behavioral health service furnished to a Medicaid
18beneficiary within the scope of and covered under the state medical assistance
19program and is related to the beneficiary's psychiatric treatment plan including
20admission to or discharge from an institution for mental diseases.
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1(7)     "Institution for mental diseases transportation service" means
2nonemergency medical transportation furnished by or through an institution for
3mental diseases to a Medicaid beneficiary who is a patient or resident of such
4institution for the purpose of transporting the beneficiary to or from an institution for
5mental diseases psychiatric service. This includes transportation to the institution
6upon admission and from the institution upon discharge and includes transportation
7between the institution and the beneficiary's residence, an originating facility, or any
8other location associated with the beneficiary's psychiatric admission, discharge, or
9treatment.
10*       *  *
11§1257.6. Institution for mental diseases; transportation for psychiatric services;
12reimbursement
13A.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an institution for
14mental diseases may furnish institution for mental diseases transportation services,
15using vehicles owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the institution or through
16an arrangement with a transportation provider under contract with the institution for
17the limited purpose of furnishing transportation services for its own Medicaid
18beneficiaries who are patients or residents of the institution.
19(2) Institution for mental diseases transportation services may be for
20admitting to an inpatient level of care or for the patient to receive outpatient medical
21services from the institution for mental diseases provider.
22B.(1)    Institution for mental diseases transportation services furnished
23pursuant to this Section shall be reimbursed at the same base and mileage rates and
24in the same manner as otherwise applicable to nonemergency medical transportation
25services under the Medicaid fee schedule in effect on the date of service.
26(2)     The department shall ensure that institution for mental diseases
27transportation services are payable under fee-for-service Medicaid when the
28beneficiary is eligible for such payment.
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 HLS 26RS-1597  REENGROSSED
  HB NO. 1030
1(3) For Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in a managed care organization or
2other capitated entity under contract with the department, each managed care
3organization shall reimburse the institution for institution for mental diseases
4transportation services at a rate not less than the Medicaid fee schedule rate
5described in this Subsection and such reimbursement shall be made directly to the
6institution or its designee.
7C. Institution for mental diseases transportation services furnished pursuant
8to this Section shall not be required to be arranged, authorized, scheduled,
9dispatched, or paid through the department's nonemergency medical transportation
10brokerage program, a Medicaid transportation broker, third-party administrator, or
11any successor entity administering nonemergency medical transportation brokerage
12services for the department or a managed care organization.
13D. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to exempt an institution for
14mental diseases, its agents, or any vehicle or driver used to furnish institution for
15mental diseases transportation services from compliance with applicable state and
16federal requirements.
17E. The department may by rule establish minimum standards necessary to
18ensure patient safety. This includes requirements related to vehicle safety, driver
19qualifications, insurance, record keeping, and audit access considering the existing
20standards and requirements in place for institution for mental diseases licensure.
21F.(1) Institution for mental diseases transportation services authorized by this
22Section are limited to transportation to or from institution for mental diseases
23psychiatric services.
24(2) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize reimbursement for
25transportation to or from non-psychiatric medical, dental, pharmacy, laboratory,
26imaging, or other Medicaid-covered services not included within the definition of
27institution for mental diseases psychiatric service.
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HLS 26RS-1597  REENGROSSED
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1(3) Institution for mental diseases transportation services shall not occur if
2the patient is not intended to receive inpatient or outpatient services from the
3institution for mental diseases providing the transportation.
4G. The provisions of this Section shall not be implemented unless approved
5by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
6Section 3. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027. The
7Louisiana Department of Health shall submit the necessary implementation plan to
8the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by August 1, 2026.
  DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1030 Reengrossed  2026 Regular Session  Spell
Abstract: Provides relative to nonemergency medical transportation for individuals in need
  of psychiatric services and the reimbursement for transportation for psychiatric
  services.
Present law provides for definitions relative to nonemergency medical transportation.
Proposed law adds definitions for "Institution for mental diseases", "Institution for mental
diseases psychiatric service", and "Institution for mental diseases transportation services".
Proposed law provides for reimbursement for transportation for psychiatric services.
Proposed law provides for an institution for mental diseases to furnish institution for mental
diseases transportation service vehicles.
Proposed law provides for reimbursement guidelines set in the Medicaid fee schedule.
Proposed law prohibits the institution for mental diseases transportation services from being
paid through the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) nonemergency medical
transportation brokerage program, a Medicaid transportation broker, third-party
administrator, or any successor entity.
Proposed law does not exempt an institution for mental diseases, its agents, or any of their
drivers from complying with applicable state and federal requirements.
Proposed law provides for the LDH to establish minimum standards to ensure patient safety.
Proposed law prohibits an institution for mental diseases transportation service from being
reimbursed for non-psychiatric treatment transportation.
Proposed law provides that proposed law shall not be implemented unless approved by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and that LDH submit an implementation plan
to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by August 1, 2026.
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are additions.
HLS 26RS-1597  REENGROSSED
  HB NO. 1030
Effective January 1, 2027
(Adds R.S. 40:1257.1(5)-(7) and 1257.6)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
   The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
   1.     Provide that proposed law shall not be implemented unless approved by the
  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
   2.     Change the effective date to January 1, 2027.
   3.     Require LDH to submit an implementation plan to the Centers for Medicare and
  Medicaid Services.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.