[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6264288,"mediaKeyId","3096549-4ae833f69e357e39974c50cdee69da58","parentId",3096549,"title","Committee backs bill to require insurer coverage for perinatal inpatient mental-health care","audioSeconds",970,"startMs",813555,"endMs",1783830,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096549-4ae833f69e357e39974c50cdee69da58&start=813&end=1783","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096549-4ae833f69e357e39974c50cdee69da58/thumbnail_813555.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6264288/Louisiana/Committee-backs-bill-to-require-insurer-coverage-for-perinatal-inpatient-mental-health-care","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264288-5ea7548ba097210675eb062370ff10e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771094605&Signature=VjEZBjXk6kdXo8rP9-PLsGdkg5BDlJMV08X7cnb58a7o5cw2IOk8NTR7gRlAl78fE64r2vxReZL0iFt3kAY0GGIEagDNvUROCkt6V~05j49Nuj5D-oAUt3K6ceN8ZOwm0LKfZJoH2CVVzEoeOhY5Q5BJGdhnkBCA-Tgvbvd5HybOGNsBbavZBdyaumH4xxVuSbfZ675lYCkhYBz5s3nekrQsKcS88CceAyBjwmpMmkUbBhEHnEOVgEXcJ0o2nnERhbRJL1QitHdgGa1TyewYm6qwCQ-9uz-i88yjeRfDP7a~TklBL~Bb9e860tevGnx2-jEU5DO52GbHGv4nS12TTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-04-23T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 42, which would require insurers to cover voluntary inpatient perinatal behavioral health treatment when recommended by a treating physician, was reported with amendments by the Senate Insurance Committee on April 23.

Senator Sellers, the bill sponsor, introduced the measure and called forward clinicians from Woman’s Hospital to explain a new perinatal mental health unit the hospital opened last September. “This is an inpatient 10 bed unit that cost us about $8,000,000 to build,” said Sheree Johnson, executive vice president and chief nursing officer at Woman’s Hospital. Johnson said the unit treats women at any gestational age and up to a year postpartum for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and provides a multidisciplinary program including psychiatry, maternal-fetal medicine and social work.

Johnson and Kevin Guidry, senior vice president at Woman’s Hospital, told the committee that roughly 24% of requests for formal voluntary admission are initially denied by payers. “The first patient we had was denied for medical necessity,” Guidry said, describing denials tied to the patient not meeting the statutory criteria for a physician emergency certificate. Johnson said many women present with intrusive thoughts or impairment that do not meet the threshold for involuntary commitment but nevertheless prevent them from functioning or safely caring for their child.

Senators asked clarifying questions about typical length of stay, payer practices and the bill’s scope. Johnson said the unit’s average length of stay is 4.72 days and that comparable units in other parts of the country report longer stays (about 15 days). Senator Foyle asked whether the need is primarily postpartum; Johnson said patients can be admitted at eight weeks’ gestation through one year postpartum.

Committee members adopted technical amendments (including capitalization of Office of Group Benefits) and an amendment requested by the Department of Insurance that removed specified lines of text from page 3. After questions and amendment adoption, the chair recognized a motion to report the bill favorably; the transcript records the chair announced no opposition and SB 42 was reported with amendments.

Why it matters: Witnesses said perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect about 20% of pregnant and postpartum women and that inpatient care can be clinically necessary before patients meet involuntary-commitment criteria. The bill seeks to ensure insurer coverage for voluntary inpatient admissions when a treating physician and patient agree that inpatient care is needed.

What remains: The bill was reported with amendments; further legislative steps will follow the Senate calendar. Committee discussion noted this is currently the only specialized perinatal inpatient unit in the state.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Insurance Apr 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 42, aimed at ensuring insurer coverage for voluntary inpatient treatment for perinatal and postpartum mental health, was reported with amendments after testimony from Woman's Hospital staff about a new 10-bed unit and frequent initial denials by payers.","taxTitle","Insurance, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Louisiana","taxId",20975,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6264293,"Senate committee reports bill to require insurer coverage for proton cancer therapy",718,44735,763620,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096549-4ae833f69e357e39974c50cdee69da58&start=44&end=763","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096549-4ae833f69e357e39974c50cdee69da58/thumbnail_44735.jpg","/articles/6264293/Louisiana/Senate-committee-reports-bill-to-require-insurer-coverage-for-proton-cancer-therapy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264293-401816892a353a610fc777677a6e7aaa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771094605&Signature=ewHSJJVfjSg-dEeHZryoNPvh51sj1E~Mn2nU9No3OFXdcENpzepLqU19gL2e72HVO259nHqkqNLaHdbpBTGyNfL3uLPAlWmdFpdEtUfh7h2jsIlmIQq4o1~GC0ce8vxnc8kxzPTT3nl4AvnxYLE-ohWYhxXEoqMjb72D-TdJlMu4gbPTwUDxL7Ihfj4Kld6fKWrXtFQ3YHRJEND1DMB1pv4x-WqMon30Q-~pARbGzs5p~wxjxQKnt5fOHsf1QQPIvMH0O6e~iQ4oDUiWImxjKwvyiYeHIDAEf2V4K~LH0SGq5oKVhTr7qQcPou3U3cOzhOjqJb5UMzMInhJBMEs7vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 129, which would require health insurers to cover proton beam therapy for cancer when recommended under clinical guidelines, was reported with amendments by the Senate Insurance Committee on April 23.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Presley, told the committee the legislation would bar insurers from denying coverage for proton therapy when treatment is recommended in the American Society for Radiation Oncology practice guidelines and that committee amendments clean up the statutory language.

Skeeter Saleem, an attorney who described himself as a cancer survivor and a member of the UL board, testified about choosing proton therapy at MD Anderson and the difficulty he faced obtaining insurer approval. “It’s like taking a rifle and shooting it at the tumor,” Saleem said, describing proton therapy’s more targeted effect compared with traditional radiation. He said insurers denied coverage for his treatment multiple times, and he ultimately paid out of pocket. “When you have cancer growing in your body, do you have 6 months to wait through an appeal process?” Saleem asked.

Senator Bass asked whether the fiscal note or amendments addressed situations where insurers classify some uses as not medically necessary. Senator Presley responded that ASTRO’s guidelines outline three categories of indications for proton therapy—one category generally approved, a second category less often approved, and a third category that insurers almost never approve—and the bill aims to ensure that when a treating physician recommends proton therapy consistent with those guidelines the patient can obtain it.

Committee members adopted two technical amendments and a language amendment that references the ASTRO practice guidelines. Senator Bass moved to report the bill favorably as amended; the chair said there was no opposition and the committee reported SB 129 with amendments.

Support and opposition noted on the committee record included representatives from Willis-Knighton Health and the Louisiana Association of Health Plans; the Department of Insurance staff were listed as available to provide information if requested.

The committee action was procedural: the measure was reported with amendments and sent forward from the Senate Insurance Committee. The transcript records no roll-call tally; the chair announced the motion passed with no opposition.

Why it matters: Advocates and the bill sponsor described proton therapy as a clinically accepted option with fewer long-term side effects for some patients, and witnesses pressed for quicker access than is often available under insurer prior-authorization and appeal processes.

What remains: The committee adopted technical and clarifying amendments referencing ASTRO guidance; the bill’s future steps will follow the Senate’s regular calendar.","The Senate Insurance Committee reported Senate Bill 129 with amendments after hearing from a patient and sponsor testimony that insurers are denying proton therapy despite clinical guidelines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee backs bill to require insurer coverage for perinatal inpatient mental-health care

Senate committee reports bill to require insurer coverage for proton cancer therapy