LouisianaLouisiana would set Medicaid minimum rates and travel rules for medical rides
Louisiana would require Medicaid ride-payment rules and limit some out-of-parish trips, but the main provisions would wait for separate implementation funding.
What it does
Medicaid rides, including wheelchair-accessible trips, would have minimum payments of $14.50 per trip and $2.10 per mile if lawmakers approve implementation funding.
Payment rules would account for rides carrying several passengers, while trips beyond a patient’s parish or neighboring parishes would require a medical-need determination.
Argument forMinimum payments could help transportation providers continue offering Medicaid rides, including wheelchair-accessible service, if implementation funding is approved.
Argument againstPatients may face limits on out-of-parish rides unless a health plan or the department finds the trip medically necessary.
More detail
The Louisiana Department of Health would set Medicaid payment rates of at least $14.50 per trip and $2.10 per mile for nonemergency medical transportation. The rates would cover nonemergency rides, including wheelchair-accessible rides, provided to Medicaid patients. The department must establish the rate method through rules. The provisions would not take effect unless a separate legislative appropriation for implementation becomes effective. The department must take implementation steps within 90 days after the provisions take effect.
The department would set payment rules for rides carrying multiple passengers and would require a medical-need determination for certain trips outside a patient’s home parish. The travel limit would apply when a Medicaid patient travels to a covered service outside the patient’s parish or a neighboring parish. The department or the patient’s Medicaid managed care organization must determine that the trip is medically necessary before the ride can go beyond those parishes. The provisions would not take effect unless a separate legislative appropriation for implementation becomes effective. The department must take implementation steps within 90 days after the provisions take effect.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 25Becomes Act No. 969 without the Governor's signature.Latest
- Jun 25Effective date: 06/25/2026.
- Jun 4Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- Jun 1Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 74, nays 23. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.
- Vote recorded ADOPT (#1645). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded ADOPT CONFERENCE REPORT (#1836). Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 1Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.
- Jun 1Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.
- Jun 1Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.
- Jun 1Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate on 6/2/2026.
- May 31Conference committee report received.
- May 31Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.
- May 31Scheduled for floor debate on 06/01/2026.
- May 29Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
- Vote recorded REJECT SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1745). Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Read by title, roll called, yeas 95, nays 0, Senate amendments rejected, conference committee appointment pending.
- May 29Notice House rejected the Senate amendments.
- May 29House conferees appointed: Lyons, Miller, and LaFleur.
- May 29Senate conference committee members appointed: Carter, Harris, and McMath.
- May 29Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.
- May 29Notice of Senate conferees appointed.
- May 28The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 30 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1499). Result: pass.Upper
- May 28Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 27Rules suspended. Reported favorably. Rules suspended. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.Minor
- May 27Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 21Senate Committee amendments read and adopted.
- May 21Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
- May 20Reported with amendments.Minor
- May 12Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.Minor
- May 11Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- May 7Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 80, nays 16. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#974). Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Read by title, amended, ordered reengrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- May 6Scheduled for floor debate on 05/07/2026.
- May 5Reported with amendments (19-0).Minor
- Apr 27Read by title, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
- Apr 23Reported favorably (12-0).Minor
- Mar 31Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.Minor
- Mar 30Read by title. Lies over under the rules.Introduced
HealthcareTransportationEmergency Management