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Louisiana, including Caddo Parish, consistently experiences some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. The most recent studies by the CDC, 2015 data, show Louisiana has the highest rate in the nation for primary and secondary syphilis and the highest gonorrhea rate. Further, among the top 70 counties/parishes in the U.S., Caddo is ranked 59.
Perhaps it sounds a little odd, but people both in Louisiana and elsewhere are sometimes fuzzy about the differences between the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act, expanded Medicaid, and “Obamacare” — the politically charged term that involves the whole of the parts.
About three fourths of residents (72 percent) approve of expansion. Approval of the move extends across a number of demographic and political groups. Democrats (91 percent) and independents (73 percent) approve of Medicaid expansion. While Republicans are less enthusiastic about the policy, they lean toward approval (51 percent approval versus 45 percent disapproval).
The Louisiana Department of Health is providing the guidance below for individuals who are now cleaning up their property following recent severe weather that caused flash flooding, fallen trees and power outages.
The Louisiana Department of Health recently awarded a $1,920,000 loan to the Holmesville Water System through the State’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund. This low-interest subsidized loan will help improve Holmesville’s water system.
More than 405,000 Louisiana residents who were uninsured a year ago now have coverage because of the Medicaid expansion offered under the Affordable Care Act. That is even more than the state predicted would sign up.
The Louisiana Department of Health will host a series of town hall meetings with clinical providers from across the state to solicit input on the selection of Medicaid performance quality measures.
The rate of babies born with syphilis is rising in Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC found the rate of congenital syphilis rose by 6% nationwide between 2014 and 2015. Director of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases for the Office of Public Health, Dr. DeAnn Gruber, says the problem is even worse in Louisiana.
Numerous studies show that access to mental health, substance use and other health care services helps former offenders better integrate back into their communities, lessening the likelihood of these individuals committing future crimes. Now, because of Medicaid expansion, the Louisiana Department of Health and the Department of Corrections are helping incarcerated individuals enroll into Medicaid, with coverage beginning once the individual’s sentence is complete and they transition out of prison.
Medicaid Expansion enrollment in Louisiana reaches 400,635 new members enrolled, and the most recent Gallup report shows the uninsured rate in Louisiana has decreased by nearly half to 12.5 percent in 2016, down from 21.7 percent in 2013. Gallop cites expansion as the key contributor for the reduction in the uninsured rate.
If the goal of health policy is to keep people healthier, there is a lot of room for debate over how to go about that process. If the measurement is insurance coverage, so that medical care is more easily available and affordable, "Obamacare" is a big success.
Medicaid expansion is covering hundreds of thousands more working adults and ensuring they have access to primary care. In addition, Medicaid Expansion is bringing in more federal tax dollars to our state and saving Louisiana taxpayers $184 million.