Senate Bill No. 150, introduced by Senator Talbot, aims to amend and reenact R.S. 9:2800.27 regarding recoverable medical expenses in civil actions. The bill removes several definitions from current law, including "contracted medical provider," "cost of procurement," and "health insurance issuer." It also repeals existing provisions that limit a claimant's recovery of medical expenses based on amounts billed versus amounts actually paid by health insurance issuers or Medicare. Instead, the proposed law allows for the introduction of admissible evidence to establish the basis for medical expense awards, including the amount billed, amount paid, premiums paid, agreements with third parties, and expert testimony regarding the reasonableness of medical expenses.

Additionally, the bill retains certain provisions related to Medicaid and Louisiana Workers' Compensation Law, ensuring that recoveries in those cases are limited to the amounts actually paid. The trier of fact will determine the amount of medical expenses to award after all evidence is presented, with the claimant's recovery not exceeding the amount actually paid and projected future medical expenses. The bill specifies that it will have prospective application only, meaning it will not affect causes of action filed before its effective date of January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
SB150 Original: 9:27(F)