[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6224208,"mediaKeyId","3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c","parentId",3552315,"title","Committee advances changes to health stop‑loss rules for very small employers, including disclosure form deadline change","audioSeconds",411,"startMs",732000,"endMs",1143000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c&start=732&end=1143","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c/thumbnail_732000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6224208/Louisiana/Committee-advances-changes-to-health-stoploss-rules-for-very-small-employers-including-disclosure-form-deadline-change","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224208-e25b7a5bca6a32a54cebf9e78385aca9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101283&Signature=OEkHF1qikCSczY7pnkHWG5wVkzAOYLqH-mMVyI1YeCBdZEJSpvA4EFuUw6Jf8s5TyMlGws93SPsfbXfPyclx2JkRMUjPQ7zS1x6DMo8oPC6dVYdJR7jpfgj2WnNljsv-vACjsR6X9U~hZrhooFGxFKioyOZYIzXzQiG6Ns2GHrXtf16qjZ-IcxvOXFso-ZaVP87f4QCCQoJc4uALKRm6yrCxNMjP2Df2awJYXaYNJaelUH5ycaLG9nsMTJ1un~NQko81JkN~7gWeNLDMpFKp9KQE-OAhrScIAUsjOm0sUjE0Sy24ZqcSkCBt5Gq7vLCHtKoCcn-uclILFk4GeOolAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","The House Insurance Committee on May 28 adopted amendments and reported Senate Bill 16, a measure addressing health stop‑loss insurance and protections for small employers, particularly those with fewer than five employees.

Senate Bill 16, originally filed to stabilize the health insurance market, was reworked and presented to the committee with amendment set 3,515. The amendments add policy provisions specific to stop‑loss policies for employers with fewer than five employees, authorize the commissioner of insurance to develop a standardized health stop‑loss policy disclosure form under the Administrative Procedure Act, require guaranteed rates for at least 12 months in contract terms, set attachment points and alignment of plan benefit limitations with the small employer's health plan, and direct payment of stop‑loss claims incurred during the contract period — including payment within 48 months after contract expiration.

Sponsor remarks noted the amendments also narrowed a lasering prohibition so it applies only to plans issued to employers with less than five employees. National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals representatives Christy Copeland and Casey Carlock testified in support. Frank (Department of Insurance) told the committee the department needed more time to promulgate the disclosure form under APA and requested changing the department’s promulgation date from November 1 to January 1, 2026; Representative Bamberg moved that change and the committee adopted the amendment to set the date to Jan. 1, 2026.

After adopting the amendments, Representative Bamberg moved that Senate Bill 16 be reported with amendments; there was no objection and the bill was reported to the House floor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Insurance May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 16, revised in committee, adds consumer protections for stop‑loss insurance marketed to very small employers, directs the insurance commissioner to adopt a disclosure form, and the committee moved the disclosure promulgation date to Jan. 1, 2026.","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},6224214,"Committee advances bill requiring insurers to disclose use of credit information in personal insurance",193,515000,708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c&start=515&end=708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c/thumbnail_515000.jpg","/articles/6224214/Louisiana/Committee-advances-bill-requiring-insurers-to-disclose-use-of-credit-information-in-personal-insurance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224214-dd939bdd94badfc4f741f84cdce4f908/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101283&Signature=OC27GYSkKeqGDx5LcrJ1~NfCmvD5DQjEqrfYT~ZeiH0yi0~xqcBB8dkcaZ-Jpvpm6jwg5rDJCt48SupX93EX1~Z21T0dRI4H2LNfLYcANmKSLPRrBNvN~WrPmIMBD1JGj0sKhG4wDAwU7JAdiPjg5A87B18UIoAaMf7nTNYyHnEdIE6wrngUF48K~ADlLv~HWB3QmngwhGWuppvgTOW0NDSwir6iLBARCJkkmwiQzQpVFj1YcEC3IoFy3EQoAm1pP6w0khlaCtTbcm3fV1NylZ82Kh58W3PbiW3wX31XF2eoO6oVSmA8XYmr4CBWURg1n3vAHBddAUIvZdUy6X47iw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Insurance Committee on May 28 adopted amendments to Senate Bill 61 and reported the bill to the full House. The measure would require insurers to disclose to consumers when credit information may be obtained and used in underwriting or rating certain personal insurance policies and to provide consumers with details about credit‑based insurance scores.

Committee staff said a technical amendment (set 3412) improved readability; a substantive amendment set (3,561) adopted in committee sets the effective date of July 1, 2026, for two of the amendments and requires insurers, when initially notifying a consumer about the potential use of credit information, to explain how to obtain a copy of the credit information used. Under the adopted language, insurers must include a consumer’s credit‑based insurance score in a quote and explain the minimum and maximum possible scores, how score ranges affect pricing, and a breakdown of factors influencing the score.

Kellen Matthews (State Forum) provided stakeholder comment supporting the documentation and notification approach adopted in the amendments. Representative Bagley moved to report the bill with amendments; there was no objection and Senate Bill 61 was reported with amendments to the House floor.","Senate Bill 61, as amended, requires insurers to notify consumers when credit information may be used in underwriting and to provide a consumer’s credit‑based insurance score and explanatory information with quotes; committee adopted amendments and reported the bill.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6224218,"Committee adopts amendments making unauthorized alteration of adjuster repair estimates a fraudulent act",307,205000,512000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c&start=205&end=512","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c/thumbnail_205000.jpg","/articles/6224218/Louisiana/Committee-adopts-amendments-making-unauthorized-alteration-of-adjuster-repair-estimates-a-fraudulent-act","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224218-90eeae0f9abe73a260b8c2e80f9c5225/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101283&Signature=Cd7C7dJ7yMVl3ZImMRUBDpoSFvssD7jemTcfwNgp8FRUscUT~oRoz~9qCic4ShNpxetQ2-NHNDQeyGfqPoKsInCWle9se3sPevm~uGyOuCWuO~7Uz-OdRYXcDHEvRhp39kjCYe~FH8ib0ZseucBUvyldO~ccIGt1KH5pOjY6grTQaJVb0KNNDi9ALD1QBm6E02Pg2x5rOvW9qQo0ESfVk-pbdZRghfLwkY46uSDy28D1umQOFVB~2DvwepkG2WWi5thjnnFo7OiY1sUCp479Aehz604vf90qEfR9Otu26kALASA~MBtK9UPuAtMFFtqGddn~ZkefKjsWnTUdIBqeHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Insurance Committee on May 28 adopted amendments to Senate Bill 34 and reported the measure to the full House. The bill, carried in the Senate by Sen. Luno, would make altering or amending a property and casualty adjuster’s original repair estimate, a revision, or a supplemental estimate without documentation in the claim file or notification to the issuer a fraudulent insurance act under state law.

Ms. Keith read the bill and explained the amendment set (3,554), which contains four amendments. “Amendments 1 and 4 are relative to providing an effective date of July first of 2026,” Ms. Keith said; amendments 2 and 3 revise the substantive language to require documentation in the claim file or other notification to the issuer when an estimate is altered.

Representative Jordan summarized the bill’s purpose as protecting policyholders in the wake of hurricane damage and adjusting‑report alterations that favored insurers over policyholders: “What Senator Luno is doing with this bill is gonna add a provision to existing law that provides that amending or altering a property and casualty adjuster's report without the written permission of the adjuster, it's gonna be a fraudulent insurance act.” Kellen Matthews of the State Farm forum (testifying in support) said the amendment will create a documented record so “If anybody ever wants to look back and see what changes were made, they'll be able to see when they were made and by whom.”

The amendment set 3,554 was adopted by voice vote after a quorum was reached and the committee reported Senate Bill 34 with amendments; there was no recorded roll‑call vote on the motion in committee. The bill’s sponsor said it passed the Senate 39–0. The committee’s action forwards the amended bill to the House floor for further consideration.","The committee adopted amendments to Senate Bill 34 to prohibit altering an adjuster’s original repair estimate without documentation or notification; bill was reported with amendments to the House floor.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6224222,"House committee reports bill to require insurer coverage for perinatal inpatient behavioral‑health care",3926,1242000,5168000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c&start=1242&end=5168","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3552315-5aec4e64cdd14bc3802d9657e6b7f13c/thumbnail_1242000.jpg","/articles/6224222/Louisiana/House-committee-reports-bill-to-require-insurer-coverage-for-perinatal-inpatient-behavioralhealth-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224222-3788550d76abbe9006ecb8e4776e59cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101283&Signature=Z6XTEgOYY23WcwKbvxvMOGIXpaYH65fPa3eFPvCOu0iVDHCZpvc3OQ-DsIm7EKZefnvqYt686TQzDjM24ucFe2oFRwe~AWf9ct0ySKB0ZzMpDtqcV2takXSq~zjS1ee6fDeS3h2nwMScU5LHKmzoqfKaiaNTlv229o8ovP4MRI7dzHCZ3Rb12ZmHQm5JLMBmLXWfuXvmxZqnvOLcsiW3QMKtq7CPX3hvmavFZq-NA5oK0kL-90a-nKYX1eaOm~lescvkJvQTCv1l3-pJFPXXUK~M9X9i8kpFqbQBYDEOMbqpmAC31B1cmKq-OEKCC4KQq8w2DRdsxdw2qTifKCg3kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Louisiana House Insurance Committee on May 28 voted to report Senate Bill 42, a measure aimed at ensuring coverage for voluntary inpatient behavioral‑health treatment for pregnant and postpartum patients, after extended testimony from providers and insurers.

The bill, carried in the Senate by Sen. Selders and presented to the committee by hospital representatives, would require insurers to cover voluntary inpatient treatment for patients with a perinatal psychiatric diagnosis when a treating physician determines the admission to be medically necessary. Supporters said the measure addresses coverage gaps and high denial rates that are preventing vulnerable patients from receiving timely inpatient care.

Supporters from Woman’s Hospital described the unit they opened last September to treat pregnant and postpartum people with severe perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. “We have seen a total of a 70 women who have been affected by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders that are severe enough to require inpatient medical treatment,” said Sheree Johnson, chief nursing officer at Woman’s Hospital. The hospital’s vice president of payer relations, Kevin Guidry, told the committee the hospital has seen denial rates in the 20–23% range for these admissions and said Medicaid accounts for a large share of those denials. “We are experiencing anywhere from a 20 to 23%, denial rate from insurance companies,” Guidry said. He told the committee Medicaid denials in the hospital’s experience make up the majority of denials.

Hospital witnesses said the unit treats pregnant women at any gestational age, allows newborn visitation to support breastfeeding and bonding, and is not co‑ed so it can address women’s trauma histories. Ruth Johnson, vice president of governmental affairs at Woman’s Hospital, told the committee the hospital “swallow[s] that cost” when claims are denied and said the unit required an $8 million retrofit. She said the hospital’s average length of stay is 4.77 days and that 41% of admitted patients have substance‑use issues.

Representatives of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana supported the policy goal but opposed language that they said would entirely remove the insurer’s ability to review medical necessity. “What I don’t want is for you all to believe that our presence … is a lack of support for the efforts … It’s just the opposite,” said Dr. Emily Vincent, a board‑certified internal medicine physician testifying for Blue Cross. “We have specific concerns about the language … that completely removes any oversight, any review process that we may have as an insurance company.” Blue Cross noted other states with perinatal inpatient units do not bar insurer review and urged the committee to preserve review rights or include expedited review procedures.

Committee members and witnesses discussed compromise language the insurers had proposed: an initial period (modeled on an Illinois law discussed in testimony) during which admission would be paid without preauthorization and an expedited review process for continued stays. Blue Cross officials proposed a 48‑hour period in which the admission would be covered without review, followed by expedited appeals procedures for denials of continued stay. Proponents said Woman’s current practice already functions in a similar way and that the adopted amendments require treating physicians to “consider recognized evidence‑based standards” such as InterQual or MCG in admission decisions.

The committee adopted amendment set 3,548, which expands the professionals authorized to consult on voluntary inpatient treatment recommendations, adds language about physicians following recognized evidence‑based standards in making admission decisions, and clarifies that coverage may be subject to an insurer’s health plan benefits and dates of applicability. After debate and public testimony, Representative Bagley moved that Senate Bill 42 be reported with amendments; there was no objection and the measure was reported with amendments to the full House.

Supporters and insurers at the hearing agreed on the policy goal — better, timelier access to inpatient care for perinatal patients — but differed on statutory language that they said could either protect patients from untimely denials or remove insurer oversight entirely. The bill will next be considered by the full House, where proponents and opponents said they plan to continue discussions about expedited review language and the role of evidence‑based guidelines.","The House Insurance Committee on May 28 reported Senate Bill 42 with amendments after testimony from Woman’s Hospital and insurer representatives about denials, oversight and patient need for inpatient perinatal behavioral‑health treatment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances changes to health stop‑loss rules for very small employers, including disclosure form deadline change

Committee advances bill requiring insurers to disclose use of credit information in personal insurance

Committee adopts amendments making unauthorized alteration of adjuster repair estimates a fraudulent act

House committee reports bill to require insurer coverage for perinatal inpatient behavioral‑health care