LouisianaLouisiana Medicaid must cover weight loss medicines once funded
Louisiana law requires Medicaid to cover medically necessary, FDA-approved weight loss medicines once a separate law provides implementation money.
What it does
When a separate law providing implementation money takes effect, Louisiana Medicaid must cover medically necessary, FDA-approved weight loss medicines prescribed to recipients. The department may require prior approval, but cannot require patients to try other drugs first.
Argument forOnce funding takes effect, recipients with a medical need could get coverage without first trying other drugs.
Argument againstPatients who need these medicines could wait for coverage because the rule does not take effect until a separate law provides implementation money.
More detail
Louisiana’s health department must cover medically necessary, FDA-approved weight loss medicines prescribed to Medicaid recipients. The rule covers Medicaid recipients whose medicine is prescribed by a licensed health care provider. The department may require prior approval before covering a medicine. The department must manage coverage to keep it financially sustainable and meet federal requirements. Coverage begins only when a separate Louisiana law specifically providing implementation money takes effect. The coverage rule takes effect when a separate Louisiana law specifically providing implementation money takes effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 9Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 898.Became Law
- Jun 9Effective date 6/9/2026.
- Jun 1Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.To Governor
- Jun 1Signed by the Speaker of the House.
- Jun 1Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.Minor
- May 31Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 35 yeas and 1 nays.
- Vote recorded CONCUR (#1589). Result: pass.Upper
- May 29Scheduled for floor debate on 05/29/2026.
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1641). Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 85, nays 11. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- May 29Received from the House with amendments.Minor
- May 28Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- May 27Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.
- May 26Reported with amendments (18-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.Minor
- May 20Read by title, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
- May 19Reported favorably (11-0). To be recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.Minor
- May 6Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.Minor
- May 5Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.
- Apr 29Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#515). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded CO-AUTHORS (#516). Result: fail.Upper
- Apr 28Read by title; Committee amendments read and adopted. Ordered reengrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.
- Apr 27Reported with amendments.Minor
- Apr 20Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted; ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
- Apr 15Reported with amendments.Minor
- Mar 31Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.Minor
- Mar 30Rules suspended. Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Introduced
Healthcare