Government Affairs News and Updates

Report from the 2026 Regular Session of the Legislature
LDA Successful in Amending Virtual Credit Card Law

Dr. Gizelle Richard, Chair, Council on Government Affairs
Annette Droddy, Executive Director, LDA

The 2026 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature adjourned sine dieon Monday, June 1, after passing a FY 2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) budget of $46 billion. Session’s end was relatively calm compared to the weeks leading up to June 1. After the U.S. Supreme Court declared Louisiana’s congressional map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, the Legislature redrew the six U.S. House districts and returned the map design to what largely had been in place before the current redistricting cycle began five years ago.

Here are a few bills of interest related to dentistry (all actions are as of June 2):

As predicted, Sen. Mike Fesi filed another fluoride ban bill, SB 4. It is with great exultation that we announce: there is NO fluoride ban in Louisiana! When the bill reached Senate Health and Welfare, Senators on that committee opted to take it into their own hands and amend the bill. In good news, the bill was no longer a fluoride BAN. Unfortunately, on the Senate floor, it was amended to make it much too easy to get fluoride out of a water system.

After meeting with the bill’s author and the House Health and Welfare legislators, Sen. Fesi and the LDA agreed on supporting an amendment to SB4 that requires a signed petition from 15% of registered voters in a community to have an election on community water fluoridation. In addition, the mandate from 2008 is still in effect. This mandate states that when funding exists, each LA public water system that has at least five thousand service connections shall maintain the level of fluoride in its water system in the optimal range for the purpose of protecting the dental health of state residents.

SB 192 (now Act 360) by Sen. Franklin Foil Passed: In recent years, insurance companies have started paying healthcare providers using electronic payments, including virtual credit cards. Like any other credit card transaction, the merchant receiving the payment incurs a processing fee, which can range from 2.5-5% on the underlying charge. The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) studied this concept and agreed on model legislation. The LDA passed that legislation in 2019. It allowed dental offices to opt out of the virtual credit card system and choose alternate methods of payment. After monitoring its success, NCOIL amended the model in 2025 to suggest that dentists automatically are opted out of virtual credit card payments and they have to opt in if they choose to accept that method of payment. Since the LDA had received notice from dentists that several dental insurance companies were requiring a yearly opt-out of the virtual credit cards, SB 192’s filing was a response made with NCOIL’s updated model legislation. The Governor has approved SB 192. The provisions of this Act shall become operative on January 1, 2027, and apply to any policy, contract, program, or dental coverage plan issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. Any policy, contract, or dental coverage plan in effect prior to January 1, 2027, shall convert to conform to the provisions of this Act no later than January 1, 2028.

SB 155 by Sen. Kirk Talbot Passed: The LDA worked with the Cancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana (CAGLA) to pass legislation that would provide insurance coverage for treatment clearance and basic extractions that are medically necessary for an insured diagnosed with cancer. Because the Affordable Care Act requires new state financial coverage for insurance companies, the LDA and CAGLA had to go to both Health and Welfare committees and both Senate Finance and House Appropriations. Funding is approved, and the bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.

HB 2 (Capital Outlay Budget): The LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans requested our support on a request for an additional $20 million that would help them complete their dental school renovations. That budget item has remained in HB 2, has been signed by the President of the Senate, and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Medicaid Update: Through the combined efforts of Dr. Don Donaldson, the Medicaid Task Force, and DAP-PAC, the LA Department of Health budget will continue to fund the Dental Incentive Payment Program (DIPP) and the Special Needs Dental Incentive Payment Program (SNDIPP).

HB 222 by Sen. Stephanie Berault Passed: The Louisiana Medicaid program shall cover a dental procedure for a Medicaid enrollee if the procedure is medically necessary for the patient to be cleared to receive another Medicaid-covered medical procedure. The LA Department of Health shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations. The bill awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 475 by Sen. Stephanie Berault Passed: A licensed healthcare professional shall verbally disclose the use of any recording device, software, or service to a patient before recording any part of an appointment or treatment to be transcribed by artificial intelligence. The bill awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 1182 by Rep. Chad Boyer Passed: Creates the "Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association" special prestige license plate. The bill awaits the Governor’s signature.

Throughout this legislative session, the LDA lobbying team monitored approximately 50 bills that impact dentistry, and monitored others as legislators amended them.

Again, it is through the support of the LDA’s contact dentist network that the LDA was able to successfully support (or oppose or amend, as necessary) bills that would greatly impact to the profession. It is more important than ever to let the LDA know if you are a friend, relative, or dentist of an elected official. We need contact dentists! It makes all the difference during the legislative session when we have contact dentists for each legislator on important committees impacting dentistry such as finance, health and welfare, and insurance. To notify us of a contact, email annette@ladental.org.