BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Requests the Louisiana Department of Health and Louisiana commercial health insurance payors to increase reimbursement rates for behavioral health crisis centers operating under a crisis receiving center license.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Regina Barrow

SCR 61 urges higher reimbursement Rates from commercial payors and LDH for crisis receiving center behavioral health services to improve financial viability and access.

Read by title, concurred in by vote of 83 yeas, 13 nays.

Summary of SCR 61 (2026) – Louisiana

Purpose and intent

SCR 61 requests (urges) the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and Louisiana commercial health insurance payors to increase reimbursement rates for behavioral health crisis centers operating under a crisis receiving center license.

The resolution signals support for higher payer reimbursements to crisis receiving centers, aiming to improve financial viability, access, and quality of crisis behavioral health services.

Key provisions and changes proposed

Non-binding urging: SCR 61 is a concurrent resolution that asks state agencies and private insurers to adjust reimbursement practices; it does not enact legislation or create new regulatory requirements.

Target entities:

Behavioral health crisis centers licensed as crisis receiving centers.
Commercial health insurance payors operating in Louisiana.

Requested actions:

LDH: Consider or facilitate higher reimbursement rates or incentives for crisis receiving centers within state programs or guidance.
Commercial payors: Increase reimbursement rates for services delivered by crisis receiving centers, aligning compensation with the intensity, resources, and cost structure of crisis care.

Scope of services affected: Behavioral health crisis response and stabilization services provided in crisis receiving centers. This can include short-term stabilization, assessment, crisis intervention, and linkages to ongoing care, though the resolution itself does not specify exact service codes or rate structures.

Who would be affected

Behavioral health crisis centers licensed as crisis receiving centers in Louisiana.

Commercial health insurance payors operating in Louisiana.

Potential indirect beneficiaries include individuals accessing crisis stabilization services and the broader behavioral health system, through improved funding stability and service availability.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare (2026-05-07).

As a senate concurrent resolution, it moves through the legislative process as a recommendation rather than binding law. It may prompt administrative or payer considerations but does not mandate rate changes by statute.

Next steps (if advanced): Committee discussions, potential amendments, and a vote by both chambers. If adopted, LDH and payors would be publicly urged to reflect the funding changes in policy, contracts, or guidance.

Additional context

Co-sponsor: Regina Barrow.

The measure reflects concern about the financial viability of crisis receiving centers and their ability to provide timely, quality behavioral health crisis services within the Louisiana system.

If you’d like, I can add a brief outline of potential budget or contract implications based on typical payer/provider dynamics, or compare this resolution to similar actions in other states.