Reimbursement
What the 2026 SUD rate schedule actually changes
July 24, 2026
Louisiana Medicaid's specialized behavioral health schedule effective July 1, 2026 raises core substance use disorder service rates well above their 2023 levels. Here is how to read the change operationally.
The July 1, 2026 specialized behavioral health fee schedule is the clearest evidence yet that organized provider advocacy moves numbers. Rates for core substance use disorder services increased materially compared with the schedule effective July 24, 2023.
For operators, the practical work is translating a schedule change into a budget. Higher per-unit rates only reach the clinical floor if authorization patterns, documentation standards, and managed care contract terms keep pace.
LATP recommends that member organizations re-run their cost-per-unit analysis against the new schedule, confirm each managed care plan has loaded the updated rates, and document any variance for the association to escalate.
Sources: Louisiana Medicaid SBH fee schedules effective 7/24/2023 and 7/1/2026.
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