The Louisiana Department of Insurance and the Department of Health have partnered to promote Cover the Uninsured Week, May 1-7, 2006, across Louisiana.

"The plight of the uninsured in our state has deepened with the displacements and job losses brought about by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon said. "This year, more than ever, we need to focus our attention on the alarming number of people who do not have health care benefits. The activities of Cover the Uninsured Week are just some of the many ways the Department of Insurance, the Department of Health and other state agencies are partnering with the community to do everything possible to address the needs of our uninsured."

During this week, LDH is publishing more specific information about the uninsured than has ever been available before. These statistics, gleaned from the 2005 Louisiana Health Insurance Survey, give parish-level breakdowns of the number of uninsured.

“We know citizens without health insurance or a regular source of care often go without primary care and are more likely to be in poorer health than people who do have insurance,” said LDH Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. “To address this problem, we can use this new information about who the uninsured are and in what parishes they live as we conduct outreach activities. Better, targeted outreach helped us drastically reduce the number of uninsured children in the state after the 2003 survey, and we know that we can use the results of the 2005 survey to continue those efforts.”

Overall, this information shows uninsured rates are higher in North Louisiana than in South Louisiana, and parishes with higher household income levels tend to have lower rates of uninsured residents.

The parish estimates of uninsured are included in nine regional profiles, representing the Greater New Orleans area, the Baton Rouge area, the Houma/Thibodaux area, the Acadiana area, Southwest Louisiana, Central Louisiana, Northwest Louisiana, Northeast Louisiana and the Florida Parishes. To view the regional profiles, visit www.medicaid.dhh.louisiana.gov.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance and LDH have planned several activities statewide as part of Cover the Uninsured Week. The following pages contain a list of these events.

Representatives of different insurance companies, health care stakeholders and workers with the Medicaid program will attend many of these events to discuss coverage options with interested citizens.

State-Planned Events:

* Thursday, May 4, 2006
Prayer Breakfast with local clergy (7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.) at St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at 2021 Tara Blvd. in Baton Rouge. Featured speaker is Rev. Raymond Jetson, CEO of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps.
 
* Saturday, May 6, 2006
Multi-Agency Cover the Uninsured Week Health Fair (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) at Greater King David Baptist Church, located at 7305 Harry Drive in Baton Rouge.

New Orleans Area – Region 1

Thursday, May 4, 2006

    · Interfaith Prayer Breakfast (9:30am) @ the Jewish Community Center located at 5342 St. Charles Ave in New Orleans, LA

Baton Rouge Area – Region 2

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

    · Legislative Day at the State Capitol (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) @ the Louisiana State Capitol Building in Baton Rouge, LA

    · “CTUW” Rally at Louisiana State University (10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.) @ Free Speech Alley located on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, LA

Thibodaux Area – Region 3

Saturday, April 29, 2006

    · ADAC Health Fair (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) @ Mechanicville Gym located at 2814 Senator Street in Houma, LA

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

    · Teche Action Clinic (8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) located @ 1115 Weber Street in Franklin, LA

Saturday, May 6, 2006

    · Annual Safe Kids Safety Circus (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.) @ the Cut Off Youth Center located at 205 West 79th Street in Cut Off, LA

Lafayette Area - Region 4

Saturday, April 29, 2006

    · St. Jude’s Poker Run (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ Church Point City Park in Church Point, LA - www.cajunwoodstock.com

    · Delta Sigma Theta At Risk Young Ladies Health Fair (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ Immaculate Heart of Mary School 800 12th Street in Lafayette, LA 


Wednesday, May 3, 2006

    · LSU Cooperative Extension Community Awareness Event (9 a.m.) @ the Cooperative Extension Bldg at 157 Cherokee Dr in Crowley, LA

Saturday, May 6, 2006

    · Girl’s of Hope At Risk Women’s and Children’s Awareness Event (8 a.m. – Noon) @ NP Moss Middle School at 805 Teurlings Dr in Lafayette, LA


Lake Charles Area – Region 5

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

    · Iowa Health Fair (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ the Iowa Mall located at 800 Factory Outlet Dr in Iowa, LA

Thursday, May 4, 2006

    · 49th Annual Contraband Days Event (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.) @ the Lake Charles Civic Center located at 900 Lake Shore Dr in Lake Charles, LA

Friday, May 5, 2006

    · 49th Annual Contraband Days Event (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.) @ the Lake Charles Civic Center located at 900 Lake Shore Dr in Lake Charles, LA

Saturday, May 6, 2006

    · 49th Annual Contraband Days Event (Noon – 8 p.m.) @ the Lake Charles Civic Center located at 900 Lake Shore Dr in Lake Charles, LA

    · 7th Annual Baby Fair (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ Women & Children’s Hospital located at 4200 Nelson Rd in Lake Charles, LA

Alexandria Area – Region 6

Monday, May 1, 2006

    · “CTUW” Information Expo (8:30 a.m. – Noon) @ Southern Pediatric Clinic located at 1416 Metro Drive in Alexandria, LA

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

    · “CTUW” Information Expo (9 a.m. – Noon) @ the Piggly Wiggly Store located on Hwy 1 in Simmesport, LA

    · Central LA Ministers Association Meeting Sponsored by Covering Kids & Families ( 12 Noon) @ Christus St. Frances Cabrini Community Services Center located on MacArthur Dr in Alexandria, LA

Shreveport Area – Region 7

Friday, May 5, 2006

    · “CTUW” Information Expo (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ Christus Schumpert Health System located at One St. Mary Place in Shreveport, LA / Contact Melinda Foster at 318-862-9909 to RSVP for this event

Monroe Area – Region 8

Monday, May 1 – Friday, May 5, 2006

    · Multi Agency effort to reach 4th, 5th and 6th graders in the twelve parish Region VIII area.  Information on nutrition and fitness will be distributed along with a questionnaire including CTUW information.  The week will be capped off with Healthy Snack Day Friday and prizes for returning the health questionnaire.

    · A mass mail out will be completed prior to the week that will be geared towards 500 Faith Based Organizations in the twelve parish Region VIII area.  CTUW information will be sent to all 500 organizations.   

Northshore Area – Region 9

Saturday, April 29, 2006

    · Livingston Parish Health Fair (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) @ First United Methodist Church located at 319 Mattie Street in Downtown Denham Springs, LA

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