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HLS 26RS-1326 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 946
BY REPRESENTATIVE MANDIE LANDRY
HEALTH: Provides relative to compliance with Federal requirements for healthcare cost
publication
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1173.1(B) and enact R.S. 40:1173.2(5) and 1173.7, relative
3 to the legislative intent of Louisiana healthcare consumers' right to know; to provide
4 for changes in legislative intent; to provide for definitions, to provide for compliance
5 with federal pricing regulations; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. RS. 40:1173.1(B) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 §1173.1. Findings; legislative intent
9 * * *
10 B. It is the intent of the legislature to improve transparency in prices and care
11 quality measures by providing for the creation and maintenance of a useful and
12 comprehensive health service information database comprised of information
13 published by hospitals in compliance with requirements in 45 CFR Part 180 as
14 detailed by R.S. 40:1173.7, sorted by provider and service. that can This database
15 shall be publicly accessed in a manner that ensures protection of individuals'
16 confidential health information and respects providers of care.
17 * * *
18 §1173.2. Definitions
19 * * *
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HLS 26RS-1326 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 946
1 (5) "Hospital pricing transparency requirements" means regulations found in
2 45 CFR Part 180.
3 Section 3. R.S. 40:1173.7 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
4 §1173.7 Compliance with federal pricing transparency regulations
5 A. Definitions
6 (1) "Collection" means any of the following:
7 (a) Attempting to collect a debt from a patient or patient guarantor by
8 referring the debt directly or indirectly to a debt collector, a collection agency, or
9 other third party retained by or on behalf of the hospital.
10 (b) Suing the patient or patient guarantor or enforcing an arbitration or
11 mediation clause in any hospital documents, including contracts, agreements,
12 statements, or bills.
13 (c) Reporting to a consumer reporting agency.
14 (2) "Department" means the Louisiana Department of Health.
15 B. The department is tasked with annually verifying compliance of all
16 healthcare providers with hospital pricing transparency requirements.
17 C. On or before January 1, 2027, and each January first thereafter the
18 department shall report on its public website in a clear and conspicuous manner the
19 names of all hospitals that have been found to not be in material compliance with
20 hospital pricing transparency requirements.
21 D. For services yielded on or after January 1, 2027:
22 (1) A healthcare provider that is not in material compliance with hospital
23 price transparency laws on the date that items or services are purchased from or
24 provided to a patient shall not initiate or pursue a collection action against the patient
25 or patient guarantor for a debt owed for the items or services.
26 (2) If a patient believes that a hospital was not in material compliance with
27 hospital price transparency laws at the time that items or services were purchased by
28 or provided to the patient and the hospital takes a collection action against the patient
29 or patient guarantor the patient or patient guarantor may file suit to determine if:
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HLS 26RS-1326 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 946
1 (a) The hospital was materially out of compliance with hospital pricing
2 transparency laws at the time that items or services were provided to that patient.
3 (b) The noncompliance is related to the items or services provided to the
4 patient.
5 (3) The hospital shall not take a collection action against a patient or patient
6 guarantor while a lawsuit described in this section is pending.
7 (4) If a judge or jury finds the hospital to be materially out of compliance
8 with hospital pricing transparency requirements the hospital shall do any of the
9 following:
10 (a) Refund the payer any amount of the debt the payer has paid and shall pay
11 a penalty to the patient or patient guarantor in an amount equal to the total amount
12 of the debt.
13 (b) Dismiss or cause to be dismissed any court action with prejudice and pay
14 any attorney fees and costs incurred by the patient or patient guarantor relating to the
15 action.
16 (c) Remove or cause to be removed from the patient's or patient guarantor's
17 credit report any report made to a consumer reporting agency relating to the debt.
18 (d) Notify the department of the material noncompliance with hospital pricing
19 transparency requirements.
20 E. Nothing in this Section is to be construed to:
21 (1) Prevent a hospital from billing a patient, patient guarantor, or third-party
22 payer, including a health insurer, for items or services provided to the patient.
23 (2) Require a hospital to refund any payment made to the hospital for items
24 or services provided to the patient, so long as no collection action is taken in
25 violation of this Section.
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HLS 26RS-1326 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 946
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 946 Original 2026 Regular Session Mandie Landry
Abstract: Provides clarification of legislative intent relative to healthcare consumers' right
to know, for penalties for noncompliance with Federal requirements for healthcare
cost transparency, and for definitions relevant to federal price transparency
regulations.
Present law provides for the legislature to improve transparency in prices and care quality
measures by creating an information database that can be accessed by the public while
insuring protection of confidential information.
Proposed law provides that the information database be comprised of information published
by hospitals in compliance with 45 CFR Part 180.
Proposed law defines hospital pricing transparency requirements, collection, and department.
Proposed law creates penalties for healthcare providers that are not in material compliance
with hospital transparency laws.
Proposed law provides patients with instructions of what to do if they receive services from
noncompliant healthcare providers whom take a collection action against the patient.
Proposed law provides that if a judge or jury finds a hospital to be materially noncompliant
that the hospital is responsible for refunding the debt payer, paying court costs, and
removing any report made to a consumer reporting agency relating to the debt.
(Amends R.S. 40:1173.1(B) and Adds R.S. 40:1173.2(5) and 1173.7)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.