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SB 113

HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to the Local Healthcare Provider Participation Program. (gov sig)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Abraham

If Calcasieu Parish bis not act by June 1, 2026, large municipalities (>60,000) may authorize a local hospital assessment for providers within their boundaries, treated as parishes

Effective date 5/22/2026.
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Bill Summary · SB 113

Legislative Bill Summary – Louisiana SB 113 (2026 Regular Session)

Title

Health Care: Provides relative to the Local Healthcare Provider Participation Program. (gov sig)

Primary Purpose

  • To modify the authority for local hospital assessment payments in Calcasieu Parish. If Calcasieu Parish does not authorize a local hospital assessment payment by June 1, 2026, the bill authorizes the governing body of any municipality within the parish with a population greater than 60,000 to authorize such a local hospital assessment payment. It also clarifies that institutional providers included in the assessment would be limited to those within the municipality’s boundaries and treats the participating municipality as a parish for compliance purposes.

Key Provisions

  1. New conditional authorization mechanism ( Calcasieu Parish context)

    • By June 1, 2026, if Calcasieu Parish fails to authorize a local hospital assessment payment under existing law, then:
      • The governing body of any municipality within Calcasieu Parish with a population greater than 60,000 may authorize a local hospital assessment payment.
      • The assessment would apply to institutional providers located within the municipality’s jurisdictional boundaries.

  2. Scope of providers

    • The local hospital assessment payments would be limited to institutional providers that are within the boundaries of the municipality taking action.

  3. Compliance and treatment for municipalities

    • A participating municipality (i.e., one that authorizes an assessment payment) must be treated as if it were a parish for purposes of compliance with the current Subpart governing local hospital assessments.

Effective Date

  • Effective upon the governor’s signature or, if not signed, upon lapse of the time for gubernatorial action as provided by the Louisiana Constitution. If vetoed and subsequently approved by the Legislature, effective the day after approval.

Legislative Context and History

  • Adds a new provision: R.S. 40:1248.3(C).
  • The bill sets a specific deadline (June 1, 2026) and provides a fallback mechanism to preserve funding opportunities for local healthcare provider participation in the event Calcasieu Parish does not act.
  • Original author: Senator Mark Abraham (cosponsor).

Who Is Affected

  • Calcasieu Parish: The default framework remains for parishwide local hospital assessments. If the parish fails to act by the deadline, alternate authorities at the municipal level gain power.
  • Municipalities within Calcasieu Parish with population over 60,000: May authorize a local hospital assessment payment if Calcasieu Parish has not acted by the deadline.
  • ** Institutional Providers**: Only providers within the municipality’s boundaries that participates in the assessment would be included.
  • Participating Municipalities: Treated as if they were parishes for purposes of compliance with the present law governing local hospital assessments.

Potential Impacts

  • Funding and Sustainability for Local Hospitals: Creates a backup mechanism to secure local hospital funding through assessments, potentially stabilizing financing for hospital services in the parish area.
  • Local Autonomy: Increases municipal authority to levy local hospital assessments if the parish does not act, enhancing local decision-making capacity.
  • Administrative Uniformity: Requires participating municipalities to be treated like parishes for compliance, ensuring consistent application of the assessment framework.
  • Geographic Limitation: Keeps assessment eligibility confined to providers within the imposing municipality’s boundaries.

Key Dates to Watch

  • June 1, 2026: Deadline by which Calcasieu Parish must authorize a local hospital assessment payment to trigger municipal authority under this bill.

Summary

SB 113 introduces a fallback mechanism enabling large municipalities within Calcasieu Parish to authorize a local hospital assessment payment if the parish itself does not by mid-2026. It narrows participation to providers within the municipality and aligns participating municipalities with parish compliance rules, thereby preserving the Local Healthcare Provider Participation Program’s objectives in the event of parish inaction.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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