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HB 819

WORKERS COMPENSATION: Provides relative to the medical treatment schedule under workers' compensation (EG INCREASE SG EX See Note)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Raymond Crews

Louisiana HB 819 shifts workers’ comp medical treatment to Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) with strict, evidence-based criteria for non-ODG care and five-year updates.

Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.
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Bill Summary · HB 819

Summary of HB 819 (2026) – Louisiana

Topic

Workers’ compensation: Reforms to the medical treatment schedule by adopting and implementing the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) managed by MCG (Medical Consulting Group).

Purpose and intent

  • To revise how medical treatment for workers’ compensation injuries is scheduled and approved.
  • To replace the current treatment schedule framework with the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) as the primary reference for treatment, including how non-scheduled treatments are evaluated and approved.
  • To formalize evidence-based standards for determining appropriate care, with emphasis on current literature, study quality, and consistency with guidelines used by other states.

Key provisions and changes

1) Definition of “schedule”

  • Replaces the prior definition with: “schedule” means the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) by MCG.
  • ODGs are described as evidence-based, online medical treatment and return-to-work guidelines used in workers’ comp and disability management to improve care, reduce costs, and set benchmarks.

2) Treatment not covered by the ODG

  • For all treatment not covered by the ODG-based schedule, the following must apply:
    • Rely on comprehensive, ongoing systematic medical literature reviews.
    • Include published criteria to rate studies and determine overall strength of medical evidence, including:
    • Sample size, potential financial conflicts of interest, study design, bias identification, and statistical significance.
    • Be current: the guideline must be the most recent version produced and verifiable as developed/reviewed/revised within the previous five years.
    • Be interdisciplinary and address frequency, duration, intensity, and appropriateness of treatment procedures across disciplines involved in treating work-related injuries and diseases.
    • Be adopted by statute or rule in other states regarding medical treatment for workers’ compensation injuries, diseases, or conditions.
  • This repeals the current framework that allowed employer-covered non-scheduled treatments to be approved if a preponderance of evidence supported it through the medical director.

3) Abolishment of prior approach

  • Repeals present law provisions related to the existing medical treatment schedule, the medical advisory council, and related processes.
  • The bill would remove the existing requirement for the Medical Advisory Council to develop guidelines under the prior framework and the associated procedural rules and protections (including certain immunities and subpoena provisions).

4) Oversight and scheduling process

  • The bill preserves the role of the assistant secretary and the Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration in promulgating rules but shifts the foundational standard to ODGs (with the anticipated ongoing updates every five years, per the new framework).

Who is affected

  • Employers: With a shift to ODG-based treatment guidelines, treatment approvals and reimbursements will follow ODG recommendations, including non-scheduled care only when meeting the stricter evidence-based criteria.
  • Employees/Claimants: Potential changes in what treatments are authorized or required, with emphasis on standardized, evidence-based guidelines and more stringent criteria for non-ODG treatments.
  • Medical providers: Must align treatment plans with ODGs and the new evidence-based criteria for non-ODG treatments.
  • State agencies: The Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration and the Medical Advisory Council will undergo significant changes or repeal of current structures to reflect the new framework.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill would amend and repeal certain portions of R.S. 23:1203.1, shifting the basis for medical treatment in workers’ compensation to the ODG framework.
  • It references updates to occur at least every five years (as part of ensuring guidelines remain current and verifiable).
  • The amendments were proposed by the House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations and co-sponsored by Representative Crews.

Notes

  • The amendment clarifies terminology by changing “for” to “as the” in the relevant section.
  • The text indicates a broad repeal of existing provisions (R.S. 23:1203.1(B)-(I) and (O)) and substitutions to establish the ODG-centric schedule.

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

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