Department

Hiring qualified workers has been a continuing challenge for health care businesses that provide home and community-based services. In response, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) will host a series of Workforce Summits in July to help providers who deliver services to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and the aging population.

As of June 26, 2017, more than 433,000 Louisiana residents who lacked coverage for essential health care services a year ago, now have coverage because of Medicaid expansion. More important than having coverage is using the coverage to visit a primary care doctor for an annual check-up, having prescription coverage and being covered for wellness visits and screenings.

Routine drinking water testing by the Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri, an ameba that occurs naturally in freshwater, in Ouachita Parish’s North Monroe Water System and Terrebonne Parish’s Schriever Water System.

I want to thank everyone who submitted thoughtful comments on these recommendations for expanding access to Hepatitis C treatments in Louisiana.

If Medicaid expansion ends, the uninsured will go back to hospital emergency rooms for their health care. Cassidy said that means society pays the rest of the bill for the uninsured because the hospitals will shift the remaining costs to the privately insured who end up paying higher health care premiums.

Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that the Trump Administration’s Office of Inspector General Department of Health and Human Services audit has found that Louisiana’s Medicaid program has complied with the federal fraud reporting requirements, has the proper procedures in place to report fraud and is not in need of any recommendations for improvement. Louisiana is one of only four states to pass this audit since 2014.

Beginning on Memorial Day, Americans have started heading to the pools as the unofficial start of the swimming season is underway. But, a new survey reveals that there may be more in the pool than just water.

The Department of Health has awarded a $13 million loan to St. Bernard Waterworks. The loan is through the State’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, and will help the water system improve its drinking water quality.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has received a letter from the Trump administration notifying the state that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has fully lifted the federal moratorium on the authorization of new vendors in the Louisiana Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

The State now has more funding to fight the opioid epidemic. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded the Louisiana Department of Health a grant to target and reduce opioid abuse across the state. The State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant is funded at $8,167,971 a year for two years.