LDH News

In Louisiana, tens of thousands of elderly and disabled people could soon lose their Medicaid benefits. Betty Waller, 89, a polio survivor, says Medicaid is needed to cover the full cost of her care.

The Louisiana Department of Health will begin mailing notices tomorrow to nearly 37,000 Medicaid enrollees informing them their eligibility may end on July 1, 2018.

Tomorrow, Jay Dardenne, commissioner of the Division of Administration, and Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), will hold a press conference to discuss the state’s timeline for issuing notices this week to people who are at immediate risk of losing the coverage that pays for their care in a nursing home, group home or home-based services.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health awarded an $8 million loan to the Baton Rouge Water Company through the State’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.  The low-interest subsidized loan will help improve the Baton Rouge Water System.

Louisiana's Medicaid expansion program has helped create or support nearly 19,200 jobs across the state and $178 million in state and local taxes.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public health is offering STD testing at no cost to patients at select Parish Health Units on April 24, April 25 and April 26 in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s STD Awareness Month. Through this initiative, the Office of Public Health hopes to promote awareness about STDs and remove potential barriers for screening and testing. In addition to STD screening, residents can also receive free testing for HIV.

Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee touted a report from Dr. Jim Richardson of the Public Administration Institute at Louisiana State University (LSU) highlighting the economic impact of Medicaid expansion. The report, released today, shows that Medicaid expansion, the federal/state health care program that provides health coverage for individuals with income less than 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, is leveraging an infusion of $1.85 billion in federal funds to create or retain nearly 19,200 jobs and support nearly $3.6 billion in economic activity for the state of Louisiana.

Louisiana state health officials are investigating a confirmed case of measles in New Orleans. The illness was confirmed through laboratory testing in a recent traveler from Europe to New Orleans.

The Louisiana Department of Health is seeking public input as the State moves towards improving its Medicaid managed care program. Those who are interested in learning more about the department's plans are invited to attend one of three forums scheduled this week or the final forum set for April 5 in Slidell

Oysters in Lake Borgne and the Mississippi Sound (known as harvest areas 1 and 2) can now be transplanted to other waters. The State of Louisiana is taking this emergency action to protect oyster reefs from freshwater intrusion following the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway.