Cancer Advocates Celebrate Passage of Louisiana Medical Debt Protections Act
The Law Will Protect Patients by Capping the Interest Rate on Medical Debt
June 9, 2026—BATON ROUGE, La.—The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is pleased to see the Louisiana Medical Debt Protections Act (SB 414) signed into law today.
The following can be attributed to Louisiana Government Relations Director, Alice Kline:
“The Louisiana Medical Debt Protections Act is a practical, bipartisan solution that will provide meaningful relief to those most affected by capping the interest rate on medical debt.”
“Healthcare costs are rising, for everyone. Being insured does not immunize patients from the sticker shock of cancer. Recent polling data found that those who have accumulated medical debt to pay for their cancer care were three times as likely to be behind on recommended cancer screenings, despite cancer patients typically being highly motivated when it comes to prevention and early detection.
“This legislation was extremely popular – and timely. 85% of Louisiana voters surveyed this year said they wanted legislators to pass laws to protect individuals from medical debt. This is a step forward in addressing healthcare affordability.
“We want to thank bill sponsor, Sen. Kirk Talbot, for his support on this legislation. ACS CAN will continue to advocate for evidence-based policies that reduce the financial burden of cancer for all Louisianans.”