September 19, 2016 Expanded Medicaid Enrollment surges past 300,000; Data shows progress toward improved health

Baton Rouge, La., Sep 19, 2016 - Nearly 12,000 adults, newly enrolled in Medicaid, have received preventative health care services since Medicaid eligibility was expanded on July 1. In addition, more than 305,000 new members have enrolled in the program.

Early data shows new members have received the following health care services since July 1

• Over 1,000 women have completed important screening and diagnostic breast imaging such as mammograms, MRI’s and ultrasounds. Of those women, 24 have been able to begin treatment for breast cancer.
• Nearly 700 adults have completed colonoscopies and over 100 patients had polyps, a precursor to cancer, removed.
• Nearly 12,000 adults have received preventative services.
• Treatment has begun for 160 adults newly diagnosed with diabetes.

Providing access to these types of preventive screenings and primary care treatment for adults through Healthy Louisiana has been the vision of the expanded Medicaid program. The program has a goal of covering 375,000 adults by next June. The state has reached more than 80 percent of its coverage target in the first 80 days.

“Today more than 300,000 individuals have access to quality healthcare that they did not have just three months ago,” said Governor John Bel Edwards. “While that is an achievement in itself, the real achievement is the working poor in our state will be healthier than ever before. This is just the beginning, and we are already seeing the type of outcomes that we know will save lives. Medicaid expansion was right for Louisiana to make our state healthier, but also to save taxpayer dollars, and I couldn’t be happier with how successful this program has been in the first three months.”

Through Healthy Louisiana, hundreds of thousands of people now have coverage that is similar to what other working Louisianans have through their employer-based coverage. Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Department of Health, says getting people to use preventive measures, not just to enroll, is the goal of Healthy Louisiana.

“Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion is not just a card in the hands of members, it’s saving lives,” Gee explained. “We have now changed the landscape of health care coverage and have increased the likelihood that patients will seek and receive important, life-saving care.” 

To track enrollment, the Department of Health has developed a dashboard tool on its Healthy Louisiana website, ldh.la.gov/healthyladashboard. The dashboard shows total enrollment, enrollment by parish, by age and gender, by month and by enrollment source.

The Department of Health will provide additional enrollment statistics as they become available. For more information, including how to enroll, visit Healthy.la.gov. Over the next several months, and as data becomes available, the Department will enhance the dashboard to include several preventive and primary care measures.

“Our goal is increased quality and improved transparency,” concluded Dr. Gee. “We are working toward a healthier Louisiana, and making data available to the public so they can make informed choices.”

The Louisiana Department of Health strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state residents. To learn more about LDH, visit www.ldh.la.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow LDH's Twitter account and Facebook.