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HB198 • 2026

HEALTH: Provides relative to Medicaid reimbursement of ambulatory surgical centers for certain procedures (REF +$400,228 GF EX See Note)

HEALTH: Provides relative to Medicaid reimbursement of ambulatory surgical centers for certain procedures (REF +$400,228 GF EX See Note)

Elections Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Michael Echols
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
Adopted in House concurrence
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Medicaid Reimbursement for Ambulatory Surgery Centers

This bill sets Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain procedures at ambulatory surgical centers, ensuring they match the lower of outpatient hospital or Medicare rates.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a new rule that Medicaid will pay the lowest rate between an outpatient hospital and Medicare for gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology procedures in ambulatory surgery centers.
  • Requires the Louisiana Department of Health to update these reimbursement rates every year based on the same criteria.
  • Gives the department authority to make rules that follow this new law.
  • Directs the department to start implementing these changes by October 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Ambulatory surgical centers in Louisiana
  • People who use Medicaid for certain medical procedures

Terms To Know

Medicaid reimbursement rate
The amount of money that Medicaid pays to healthcare providers for services given to patients.
Ambulatory surgical centers
Medical facilities where surgeries and procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, meaning patients can go home the same day.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the governor vetoes it.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect Medicaid budgets or patient access to care.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Filed

Plain English: The amendment requires the Louisiana Department of Health to develop and implement a plan that increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain medical procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers, aligning these rates with either outpatient hospital settings or Medicare rates, whichever is lower.

  • Requires the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to create a plan to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for gastroenterology, ophthalmology, dental, and otolaryngology procedures in ambulatory surgical centers.
  • Specifies that these procedures must be reimbursed at the same rate as outpatient hospital settings or 100% of Medicare rates, whichever is lower.
  • Instructs LDH to include relevant billing codes and estimated costs in their plan and submit it to specific committees by October 1, 2026.
  • The exact details on how the reimbursement rates will be calculated or adjusted are not fully explained in the amendment text.
  • It is unclear what specific actions LDH must take beyond creating and submitting a plan to implement these changes.
Filed

Plain English: The amendment to HB198 involves the House voting on Senate changes related to Medicaid reimbursement for ambulatory surgical centers.

  • The House voted to concur with Senate amendments regarding Medicaid reimbursement for certain procedures in ambulatory surgical centers.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about the concrete changes made by the amendment, only that it involves concurrence with Senate amendments.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes references to specific types of surgeries and procedures from the bill text related to Medicaid reimbursement for ambulatory surgical centers.

  • Removes 'surgeries' after mentioning otolaryngology on line 12.
  • Deletes 'procedures, and dental surgeries' between 'otolaryngology' and 'procedures conducted' on line 15.
  • The exact impact of these deletions is not fully explained in the amendment text provided.
Draft

Plain English: The amendment removes references to specific types of surgeries and procedures from the bill text related to Medicaid reimbursement for ambulatory surgical centers.

  • Removes 'surgeries' after mentioning otolaryngology on line 12.
  • Deletes 'procedures, and dental surgeries' between 'otolaryngology' and 'procedures conducted' on line 15.
  • The exact impact of these deletions is not fully explained in the amendment text provided.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how Medicaid pays for certain medical procedures at ambulatory surgical centers, setting the payment rate as the lower amount between what is paid in an outpatient hospital or a specific new rate.

  • Changes the reimbursement rate to be the lesser of the rate paid in an outpatient hospital or a specified rate.
  • Expands the types of procedures covered from gastroenterology alone to include ophthalmology, otolaryngology procedures, and dental surgeries.
  • Clarifies that the methodology for determining the payment rate must follow the rules described in Subsection A.
  • The exact new specified rate is not provided in the amendment text.
Draft

Plain English: The amendment changes how Medicaid reimburses ambulatory surgical centers for certain procedures by setting a new rate limit.

  • Changes the reimbursement rate to be the lower of the rate paid in an outpatient hospital or one specific rate.
  • Modifies the description of how the reimbursement methodology is applied.
  • The exact specifics of the 'one specific rate' and the full details of Subsection A's methodology are not provided, making it unclear without additional context.
Draft

Plain English: The amendment changes the types of procedures that Medicaid will reimburse ambulatory surgical centers for, adding otolaryngology procedures and dental surgeries.

  • Adds 'and otolaryngology procedures and dental surgeries' to the list of reimbursable procedures under Medicaid for ambulatory surgical centers.
  • The amendment text does not specify how these new types of procedures will be reimbursed or what additional requirements might apply.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for Medicaid reimbursement rates at ambulatory surgical centers, aligning them with Medicare rates and outpatient hospital settings for specific procedures.

  • Adds a new section to the bill that requires the Louisiana Department of Health to develop and implement a plan for increased Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain medical procedures conducted in ambulatory surgical centers.
  • Specifies that these reimbursement rates must be no higher than the lesser of the rate paid for similar procedures in outpatient hospitals or 100% of Medicare's rate.
  • Requires the department to annually update these reimbursement rates and submit a plan detailing procedure codes and implementation costs by October 1, 2026.
  • The exact details on how the new reimbursement rates will be calculated are not fully explained in the amendment text.
  • It is unclear what specific actions the Department of Health must take to implement this plan beyond updating and filing necessary documents.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how Medicaid reimburses ambulatory surgical centers for gastroenterology procedures by setting the rate at or above Medicare rates and adjusts it annually.

  • Adds language to ensure that Medicaid reimbursement rates for gastroenterology procedures are at least equal to Medicare rates.
  • Specifies that these rates will be adjusted annually in line with changes made by Medicare.
  • Includes a provision stating that the new rules require legislative funding approval.
  • The exact financial impact and implementation details of the amendment are not fully explained in the provided text.
Draft

Plain English: The amendment changes how Medicaid reimburses ambulatory surgical centers for gastroenterology procedures, setting the reimbursement rate at or above the Medicare rate and adjusting it yearly based on Medicare rates.

  • Changes the minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for gastroenterology procedures to be at least equal to the Medicare rate.
  • Specifies that the reimbursement rate will adjust annually according to changes in Medicare rates.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-29 H

    Read by title, roll called, yeas 86, nays 7, Senate amendments concurred in.

  2. 2026-05-28 H

    Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.

  3. 2026-05-28 H

    Received from the Senate with amendments.

  4. 2026-05-28 S

    Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  5. 2026-05-28 S

    Called from the Calendar.

  6. 2026-05-28 S

    Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.

  7. 2026-05-27 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  8. 2026-05-27 S

    Rules suspended. Reported with amendments. Rules suspended. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  9. 2026-05-21 S

    Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

  10. 2026-05-20 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-05-06 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  12. 2026-05-05 S

    Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. 2026-05-05 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 88, nays 7. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-04-29 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 05/05/2026.

  15. 2026-04-28 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered reengrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. 2026-04-27 H

    Reported with amendments (17-1).

  17. 2026-03-23 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.

  18. 2026-03-18 H

    Reported with amendments (14-0).

  19. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  20. 2026-02-20 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.

  21. 2026-02-18 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  22. 2026-02-18 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

HEALTH: Provides relative to Medicaid reimbursement of ambulatory surgical centers for certain procedures (REF +$400,228 GF EX See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HLS 26RS-252 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 198
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
HEALTH: Provides relative to Medicaid reimbursement of ambulatory surgical centers for
certain procedures
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 46:452, relative to ambulatory surgical centers; to provide for Medicaid
3 reimbursement rates; to authorize the Louisiana Department of Health to promulgate
4 rules; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 46:452 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §452. Reimbursement rate for ambulatory surgery centers
8 A. The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health shall take all
9 necessary actions to establish a Medicaid reimbursement rate which is the lesser of
10 the rate paid in an outpatient hospital setting or one hundred percent of the Medicare
11 rate for gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology procedures conducted
12 at ambulatory surgery centers.
13 B. The Louisiana Department of Health shall take all necessary actions to
14 update the reimbursement rate for gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and
15 otolaryngology procedures conducted by ambulatory surgery centers annually in
16 accordance with the methodology described in Subsection A.
17 C. The Louisiana Department of Health shall promulgate all rules and
18 regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act as are necessary to
19 implement the provisions of this Section.
20 Section 2. Not later than October 1, 2026, the Louisiana Department of Health shall
21 take all necessary actions including but not limited to filing a Medicaid state plan
22 amendment, to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this Act.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-252 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 198
1 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
2 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
3 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
4 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
5 effective on the day following such approval.
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 198 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Echols
Abstract: Provides for Medicaid reimbursement for certain gastroenterology,
otolaryngology, and ophthalmology procedures performed in ambulatory surgery
centers.
Proposed law requires the secretary of the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) to take all necessary
actions to implement a plan to reimburse ambulatory surgery centers described by proposed
law.
Proposed law provides that gastroenterology, otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), and
ophthalmology procedures performed at an ambulatory surgery center shall be reimbursed
by Medicaid at a rate equal to the rate paid in an outpatient hospital setting or 100% of the
Medicare rate, whichever is less.
Proposed law requires LDH to promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to implement
proposed law.
Proposed law directs LDH to implement proposed law by Oct. 1, 2026.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 46:452)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Add additional procedures and surgeries that would be eligible for a modified
reimbursement rate in accordance with proposed law.
2. Provides for the reimbursement rate for certain procedures performed at an
ambulatory surgery center.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
engrossed bill:
1. Remove dental surgery procedures from proposed law.
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.