Louisiana health care is wounded but it is not dead.  (see videos below)

It was in poor shape prior to Katrina and Rita but worsened by the twin storms. 

The Governor Bobby Jindal administration has recognized the shortcomings in health care and has tried to address it.  The person at the helm is Alan Levine, the Secretary of Health and Hospitals.

In the third segment of the Bayoubuzz exclusive interview with the Secretary, Levine discusses major legislation that passed this session that created “crises receiving centers”, goes into detail concerning the LSU VA hospital that the state hopes will help deal with the medical needs in that area and the explains the Administration’s attempt to obtain federal funding to reimburse hospitals for hard costs it incurred after the hurricanes and which have caused a hardship on the private vendors.

The crises receiving centers are for mental health needs.  While the entire plan is not fully determined, it appears that the centers will be ambulatory in nature.  Six million dollars has been allocated this year.  The centers will not be statewide yet and will be data driven in terms of placement based upon needs.

Levine also discussed the safety net in the health care system in New Orleans and talked about the importance of the LSU hospital that is being considered.  The key is obtaining federal money for its construction and the Secretary argues that much of the old facility was destroyed by the hurricane.  Looking forward, Secretary Levine is pleased that the Medical Universities are working together on the project and said that creating a structure must consider the future of medicine in the upcoming decades since health care is rapidly changing.  Levine noted that it is important to train residents because many of the residents actually practice in the location where they perform their residency and the job market is very competitive so obtaining more residents is very important .

Levine also addressed his attempts to obtain federal funding for private medical institutions that suffered significant “hard costs” during Katrina and seeks reimbursement for the actual services rendered.  Part of the problem is the next Medicaid index for reimbursement will not be available until 2010 which would have factored in inflaction.  These institutions were available in the post-Katrina period helping patients but have not been fully reimbursed.  Levine had written a letter to House Speaker Pelosi asking for reimbursement and hopes that there would  be federal money available during the next Congressional supplemental funding requests.

Sec. Levine discusses the "crises receiving centers" and the process needed to set up these facilities

Sec. Levine discusses the projected LSU medical teaching facility and the "old" Charity Hospital Center

Sec. Levine discusses the letter he sent to House Speaker Pelosi and his attempts to obtain reimbursements for medical services post-Katrina