Healthy Louisiana

The Department of Health announced the latest figures Friday, saying 2,500 people per day on average have signed up for coverage since enrollment opened in June. Health Secretary Rebekah Gee praised the numbers saying those families “can sleep more soundly at night knowing their loved ones have coverage.”

The Louisiana Department of Health announces the landmark enrollment of 250,000 new adults into Healthy Louisiana, the state’s expanded Medicaid program. Enrollment began on June 1 and coverage started July 1.

“Expanding Medicaid in Louisiana was the easiest decision I’ve made since taking office in January, and I meet people from all walks of lifewho will be positively impacted by expansion,” said Gov. Edwards.

There was a dignity in getting up to go to work each day, even if it was a low-wage janitorial job.

Louisiana's recently expanded Medicaid program reached an impressive 225,900 enrollees as of last Friday, after beginning the process June 1.

Louisiana Department of Health officials had enrolled more than 220,000 people into the state's Medicaid expansion as of 9 a.m. Wednesday (June 22), with 9,000 of those people coming from the food stamp rolls.

This article was done in partnership with Kaiser Health News. Aretha Frison got an unusually helpful mailing recently through the Louisiana food stamp program. The letter indicated that she could qualify for Medicaid coverage beginning next month. Frison, usually a journalist by occupation, has been able to work only part time at an animal hospital while suffering with major depression.

Joshua Guillory, 32, dropped his Obamacare health plan in January after losing his oil plant job. He couldn't afford the premiums any longer.

Louisiana's Medicaid expansion marked a major breakthrough for Obamacare as the first state in the Gulf South to opt into the program, a move only possible after Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards won the governor's mansion last year.

The Louisiana Department of Health will be hosting several events about Healthy Louisiana, the state’s expanded Medicaid program, in the upcoming weeks in the Greater New Orleans area.