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WASHINGTON, D.C.-Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine testified today before the Subcommittee on Health of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce calling for a “systemic reform of health care” and “every American having access to affordable health insurance.”
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BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, or DHH, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, is issuing advisories for eight state waterways where elevated levels of mercury have been detected in the local fish. These advisories recommend limiting the consumption of identified fish which may contain high levels of mercury.
Beginning Feb. 1, Louisiana oyster harvesters will have a two-week opportunity to move oysters from the public oyster seed grounds located in Lake Borgne and Mississippi Sound between the Rigolets and Half Moon (Grand) Island, and transplant them to private leases for later harvest. A boost to the local oyster industry, the transplant allows Louisiana oystermen to harvest oysters that would not have otherwise been available to them during the season.
DHH Secretary Highlights Federal-State Health Priorities for Louisiana Congressional Delegation
In a week that Louisiana was ranked by several studies as having the lowest-performing health care system in the nation, including citations as having the highest number of avoidable hospitalizations, over-utilized emergency departments and among the highest rates of death in the nation and with among the highest costs, several Louisiana-based and national health care experts are supporting Louisiana Health First, a broad effort to overhaul the state’s health care system for the poor and uninsured.
A national medical specialty organization says Louisiana’s health care system is well prepared for disasters, but in poor shape for its public preventive health care, access to emergency care and health quality.
A national health organization says Louisiana is better prepared now more than ever for a hurricane, bioterrorism, or any other health emergency. In its sixth annual report, “Trust for America’s Health” gives Louisiana a perfect score of 10 out of 10 for health emergency preparedness. This is a significant improvement over the past two years: Louisiana received an eight out of 10 last year and a six out of 10 in 2006 for emergency readiness.
The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) is now requiring that cases of carbon monoxide exposure or poisoning must be reported to the State Health Officer within five businesses days.
First Lady Supriya Jindal announced today her partnership with the Shots for Tots outreach campaign. The effort, called “Every Child by Two,” is an aggressive media campaign to raise awareness among caregivers on the benefits of immunizations and the dangers of leaving children unvaccinated.
The Department of Health and Hospitals awarded 14 grants of up to $75,000 to health care providers in rural and medically underserved areas in the state for community health care service expansion projects.