Louisiana requires Medicaid to cover pre-procedure dental clearances

Original title: MEDICAID: Requires Medicaid to cover dental procedures for certain Medicaid enrollees (EN +$784,370 GF EX See Note)

Last action · June 2, 2026: Effective date: 08/01/2026.Sponsors: Stephanie Berault and 36 others

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What This Bill Does

Louisiana law now requires the state Medicaid program to cover dental procedures when to clear an enrollee for another covered medical procedure, effective August 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Enrollees who previously faced uncovered dental barriers before major medical interventions will now have those costs handled by Medicaid, with state fiscal notes indicating an estimated $784,370 in general fund expenditures.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Medicaid enrollees

Medicaid enrollees gain coverage for dental procedures that are medically necessary to clear them for other covered medical treatments.

Directly affected

Louisiana Department of Health

The department is required to submit state plan amendments, promulgate administrative rules, and update program coverage.

Key Facts

The Louisiana Medicaid program must cover dental procedures for enrollees if the procedure is medically necessary to clear the patient for another Medicaid-covered medical procedure.
The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health is required to submit all necessary state plan amendments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The secretary must promulgate all necessary rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
The fiscal note indicates an estimated general fund expenditure increase of $784,370.

Show all 5 facts

The law takes effect on August 1, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for the newly mandated dental coverage under Medicaid?

Medicaid enrollees who require a dental procedure as a medical necessity in order to be cleared for another Medicaid-covered medical procedure.

What actions must the Louisiana Department of Health take to implement this law?

The secretary must submit necessary s to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, promulgate rules under the Administrative Procedure Act, and take other necessary implementation steps.

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

27 actions

Jun 2, 2026HouseEnrolled
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 629.
Jun 2, 2026House
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
Jun 1, 2026SenateEnrolled
Signed by the President of the Senate.
Jun 1, 2026House
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
May 31, 2026HouseEnrolled
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
May 29, 2026HouseIntroduced
Read by title, roll called, yeas 94, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

Show 21 earlier actions

May 27, 2026House
Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
May 26, 2026House
Received from the Senate with amendments.
May 25, 2026SenateFloor
Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
May 20, 2026SenateFloor
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
May 19, 2026SenateIntroduced
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
May 18, 2026SenateCommittee
Reported favorably.
May 7, 2026SenateFloor
Senate Committee amendments read and adopted.
May 7, 2026SenateIntroduced
Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
May 6, 2026Senate
Reported with amendments.
Apr 28, 2026SenateCommittee
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
Apr 27, 2026HouseFloor
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
Apr 27, 2026Senate
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
Apr 23, 2026House
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/27/2026.
Apr 22, 2026HouseFloor
Read by title, ordered reengrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
Apr 21, 2026HouseCommittee
Reported favorably (13-0).
Mar 26, 2026HouseIntroduced
Read by title, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
Mar 25, 2026HouseCommittee
Reported favorably (8-0).
Mar 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
Feb 20, 2026House
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
Feb 19, 2026House
Prefiled.
Feb 19, 2026HouseCommittee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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