Commercial healthcare reimbursement in Louisiana
How Louisiana compares with the nation, by payer, specialty and procedure.
Louisiana at a glance
What the data shows
Louisiana ranks 41st of 51 states for commercial reimbursement, with an index of 89 (100 = national median) across 228 procedure codes; the South region averages 94.
Commercial rates in Louisiana run a median 132% of Medicare.
UnitedHealthcare has the highest index in the state (106) and Blue Cross Blue Shield the lowest (92), a 14-point gap, in the files analyzed.
CPT 43239 (Egd biopsy single/multiple) is the strongest relative to the national median (109% of it, a 9% premium); CPT 75574 (Ct angio hrt w/3d image) is furthest below (70% of the national median, 30% lower).
By specialty, Louisiana is strongest for gastroenterology (ranks 33rd of 50 states for that specialty) and weakest for orthopedic surgery (48th of 51).
Against Medicare, gastroenterology has the highest ratio in Louisiana (181% of Medicare) and dermatology the lowest (92%).
Payer ranking in Louisiana
| Payer | Index | Rank | Level | Codes | Providers | TINs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | 106 | 1 | 228 | 808 | 518 | |
| Aetna | 96 | 2 | 228 | 832 | 521 | |
| Cigna | 95 | 3 | 227 | 837 | 479 | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 92 | 4 | 130 | 203 | 211 |
Reimbursement index by specialty in Louisiana
| Specialty | Index | Rank among states | % of Medicare | Level | Codes | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastroenterology | 94 | 33 of 50 | 181% | 36 | 123 | |
| Dermatology | 91 | 37 of 50 | 92% | 44 | 130 | |
| Diagnostic radiology | 92 | 38 of 51 | 135% | 49 | 122 | |
| Ophthalmology | 88 | 39 of 50 | 111% | 42 | 110 | |
| Internal medicine | 83 | 43 of 51 | 102% | 25 | 114 | |
| Cardiology | 82 | 46 of 51 | 120% | 38 | 111 | |
| Urology | 83 | 46 of 50 | 140% | 37 | 104 | |
| Orthopedic surgery | 83 | 48 of 51 | 129% | 39 | 103 |
Specialty by payer in Louisiana
| Specialty | UHC | Aetna | Cigna | BCBS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal medicine | 106 | 77 | 84 | n/a |
| Dermatology | 102 | 86 | 78 | n/a |
| Ophthalmology | 87 | 96 | 79 | n/a |
| Cardiology | 92 | 78 | 83 | n/a |
| Orthopedic surgery | 92 | 82 | 74 | 92 |
| Diagnostic radiology | 88 | 89 | 98 | 91 |
| Urology | 101 | 76 | 74 | 75 |
| Gastroenterology | 110 | 85 | 92 | 81 |
Louisiana compared with South region states
Procedures that pay most and least in Louisiana vs the nation
Highest vs national
| Code | Louisiana | National | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43239 Egd biopsy single/multiple | $380 | $349 | +9% | 123 |
| 88313 Special stains group 2 | $76 | $71 | +8% | 122 |
| 88305 Tissue exam by pathologist | $74 | $70 | +5% | 253 |
| 74176 Ct abd & pelvis w/o contrast | $300 | $287 | +5% | 122 |
| 88312 Special stains group 1 | $101 | $97 | +4% | 253 |
| 88342 Imhchem/imcytchm 1st antb | $99 | $95 | +4% | 130 |
| 71250 Ct thorax dx c- | $259 | $250 | +4% | 122 |
| 43235 Egd diagnostic brush wash | $304 | $294 | +3% | 123 |
| 37243 Vasc embolize/occlude organ | $879 | $858 | +2% | 119 |
| 72125 Ct neck spine w/o dye | $254 | $249 | +2% | 122 |
| 72131 Ct lumbar spine w/o dye | $253 | $248 | +2% | 122 |
| 70450 Ct head/brain w/o dye | $198 | $194 | +2% | 122 |
| 45380 Colonoscopy and biopsy | $476 | $470 | +1% | 123 |
| 45390 Colonoscopy w/resection | $532 | $532 | -0% | 121 |
| 43276 Ercp stent exchange w/dilate | $769 | $771 | -0% | 120 |
Lowest vs national
| Code | Louisiana | National | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75574 Ct angio hrt w/3d image | $346 | $495 | -30% | 110 |
| 76775 Us exam abdo back wall lim | $69 | $92 | -25% | 103 |
| 93229 Remote 30 day ecg tech supp | $826 | $1,088 | -24% | 107 |
| 76857 Us exam pelvic limited | $57 | $75 | -24% | 104 |
| 99454 Rem mntr physiol param 16-30 | $58 | $75 | -23% | 215 |
| 51720 Treatment of bladder lesion | $86 | $111 | -23% | 102 |
| 72110 X-ray exam l-2 spine 4/>vws | $55 | $71 | -22% | 103 |
| 99487 Cplx chrnc care 1st 60 min | $94 | $121 | -22% | 107 |
| 93298 Rem interrog dev eval scrms | $41 | $52 | -22% | 110 |
| 77080 Dxa bone density axial | $52 | $66 | -22% | 122 |
| 99490 Chrnc care mgmt staff 1st 20 | $47 | $60 | -22% | 437 |
| 93296 Rem interrog evl pm/ids | $31 | $39 | -21% | 110 |
| 93297 Rem interrog dev eval icpms | $41 | $52 | -21% | 110 |
| 96372 Ther/proph/diag inj sc/im | $19 | $24 | -21% | 113 |
| 99350 Home/res vst est high mdm 60 | $196 | $247 | -21% | 109 |
Frequently asked questions
How do commercial reimbursement rates in Louisiana compare with the rest of the country?
Louisiana ranks 41st of 51 states with an index of 89, across 228 procedure codes. Median commercial rates run 132% of the Medicare rate.
Which payer has the highest rates in Louisiana?
In the files we analyzed, UnitedHealthcare has the highest index (106) and Blue Cross Blue Shield the lowest (92). Each payer's figures describe the specific plans and networks in the files used, not its whole book of business.
Which specialty has the strongest rates in Louisiana?
Gastroenterology ranks 33rd of 50 states.
How many providers does this Louisiana page cover?
917 sampled providers across 4 payers. The data comes from a random sample of providers, so counts describe the sample, not every provider in the state.
Which procedures differ most between Louisiana and the national median?
CPT 43239 (Egd biopsy single/multiple) is highest relative to the nation at 109% of the national median; CPT 75574 (Ct angio hrt w/3d image) is lowest at 70%.
Methodology
- Source: in-network negotiated-rate files published under the federal Transparency in Coverage rule, August 2026 snapshot: UnitedHealthcare Choice plans (74 files); Aetna commercial plans (70 files); Cigna national PPO (1 files); BCBS licensees' own-network files (5,387 files). Payer comparisons describe these files, not each payer's entire book of business.
- Sample: rates come from a random sample of up to 150 providers per state and specialty. Counts on this page are sampled providers and TINs, not totals.
- Which providers count: only providers in a specialty relevant to the code, because a rate in a payer file attaches to a provider group and is listed under every provider in that group.
- Filters: fee-for-service, professional billing class, no modifier, negotiated or fee-schedule dollar rates. Rates outside 1% to 1,000% of the Medicare rate are excluded.
- Statistic: one median rate per provider, then percentiles across providers. A cell is shown only with at least 15 sampled providers and 4 TINs.
- Medicare benchmark: CY2026 national physician fee schedule, non-QPP conversion factor, unadjusted for locality. Where the non-facility rate is more than twice the facility rate (office rates that include device or supply cost), the facility rate is used so comparisons are like for like.
Benchmark your Louisiana contracts
Compare your negotiated rates with these state medians by payer and specialty.