ENROLLEDSCAHB198 2282 4506 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS Regular Session HOUSEAmendmentsproposedbySenateCommitteeonFinancetoReengrossedHouseBillNo.198 BILLby Representative Echols AMENDMENT NO.

1981 BYOn REPRESENTATIVEpage ECHOLS1, ANDline SENATORS9, BARROW,after JACKSON-"rate" ANDREWS,delete ANDthe JENKINSreminder ANDof REPRESENTATIVEthe CHASSIONline ANand ACTdelete Tolines enact10 R.S.and 11 and insert the following:

46:452,"at relativeor toexceeding ambulatoryone surgicalhundred centers;percent of the Medicare rate for gastroenterology procedures conducted" AMENDMENT NO.

to2 provideOn forpage Medicaid1, reimbursementline rates;14, after "gastroenterology" delete the remainder of the line and delete lines 15 and 16 and insert the following:

to"proceduresconductedbyambulatorysurgerycentersannuallyinlinewithannualMedicare providerate foradjustments." aPage reimbursement1 rateof plan;1

to provide for implementation;toprovideforadeadline;to authorizetheLouisianaDepartmentof Health to promulgate rules;

to provide for implementation;

to provide for an effective date;

and to provide for related matters.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:

Section 1.

R.S.

46:452 is hereby enacted to read as follows:

§452.

Medicaid ambulatory surgical center reimbursement plan;

Medicare rate comparability A.(1) The Louisiana Department of Health shall develop and implement a plan for increased Medicaid managed care organization reimbursement rates and fee-for-service reimbursement rates for gastroenterology, dental ophthalmology, dental and otolaryngology procedures conducted at ambulatorysurgical centers.

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198 ENROLLED (2) The reimbursement rate established pursuant to this Section shall be the lesser of the following:

(a) The rate paid for the same or similar procedure in an outpatienthospital setting.

(b) One hundred percent of the Medicare rate for the same or similar procedure.

(3) The plan shall include procedure codes utilized for gastroenterology, ophthalmology, dental and otolaryngology procedures conducted at ambulatory surgical centers and the estimated cost of implementation of the plan.

B.

The Louisiana Department of Health shall take all necessary actions to annually update the reimbursement rates for gastroenterology, dental, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology procedures conducted at ambulatory surgical centers in accordance with the methodology provided in Subsection A of this Section.

C.TheLouisianaDepartmentofHealthshallsubmittheplanrequiredbythis Section to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Finance,theHouseCommitteeonHealthandWelfare,andtheHouseCommitteeon Appropriations no later than October 1, 2026.

D.

Not later than October1, 2026, the Louisiana Department of Health shall takeallnecessaryactions,includingbut not limited to filinganyMedicaidstateplan amendment required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to implement the provisions of this Section.

E.

The Louisiana Department of Health shall promulgate all rules and regulationsin accordancewith theAdministrative ProcedureActasarenecessaryto implement the provisions of this Section.

Section 2.

Not laterthanOctober1,2026,theLouisianaDepartmentofHealthshall take all necessary actions including but not limited to filing a Medicaid state plan amendment, to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this Act.

Section 3.

The implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be subject to the appropriation of funds by the legislature for this purpose.

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198 ENROLLED Section 4.

This Act shall become effective upon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.

If vetoed bythe governorand subsequentlyapproved bythe legislature, this Act shall become effective on the dayfollowing such approval.