AGP Executive Report

Medical Education: Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine won preliminary accreditation, clearing the way to recruit about 50 students for its first class in 2027. The Gulf South’s only HBCU medical school aims to help address physician shortages and broaden representation in medicine. Maternal Health: A Xavier University summit spotlighted Louisiana’s 222 maternal deaths last year; organizers said nearly 90% were preventable and highlighted home-visiting support and policy changes. Medicaid & Access: Louisiana won approval to provide Medicaid services to eligible people before they leave prison and will receive $37.7 million to strengthen its rural health workforce. Meanwhile, the state ended its Healthy Blue Medicaid deal, and a separate dispute could put Ochsner coverage for 70,000 people at risk. Care Costs: Baton Rouge officials delayed a proposal that could raise insurance costs and deductibles for about 4,000 city-parish employees. Prevention & Reproductive Care: Planned Parenthood has reopened its New Orleans clinic after a yearlong closure. Southwest Louisiana health professionals are urging women to keep up with mammograms as flu activity rises early this season.

Flu Season: Flu activity is rising early in southwest Louisiana, prompting health officials to alert families as the season gets underway. Training Future Clinicians: LSUA and LSU Health Shreveport are adding an accelerated physical therapy pathway that lets eligible students earn a bachelor’s degree and doctor of physical therapy in six years. Care After Incarceration: CMS approved Louisiana’s reentry demonstration, allowing eligible people to receive health services before leaving prison. Rural Health: Louisiana will receive $37.7 million to strengthen its rural health workforce, while state leaders tout broader rural health investments. Medicaid Access: An insurer-Ochsner dispute could affect coverage for 70,000 Louisiana Medicaid members. Overdose Response: State officials warned of a dangerous synthetic opioid found in several parishes; East Baton Rouge Parish is also considering a mobile opioid-treatment dosing unit. Suicide Prevention: A Louisiana coroner is urging greater public awareness of suicide risks and prevention.

Flu Season: Louisiana flu activity is rising earlier than last year: 6.5% of tests were positive in the week ending Oct. 3, nearly double the rate a year ago. Doctors urge families to get vaccinated. Suicide Prevention: St. Tammany’s coroner says 41 suicide deaths had been recorded by Sept. 1—already more than the parish’s 2025 total—and urges people in crisis to seek help. Call or text 988 for support. Care After Incarceration: CMS approved Louisiana’s plan to cover some Medicaid services in the 60 days before release, with a first launch planned at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in early 2027. Overdose Response: East Baton Rouge is considering a mobile treatment unit offering methadone, Narcan, telehealth and other services at three community sites; the proposal needs Metro Council approval. Opioid Warning: State officials are warning residents about a dangerous synthetic opioid found in several parishes. Medicaid Coverage: A provider may end coverage for an Ochsner network plan, potentially affecting 70,000 members.

Medicaid Access: Louisiana Healthcare Connections may drop Ochsner from its network Dec. 1, putting care for as many as 70,000 members at risk if contract talks fail. Ochsner is asking state officials to help preserve continuity. Rural Health: Gov. Jeff Landry touted $3.5 billion in rural investments; a separate funding announcement says more than $423 million will support rural health care across Louisiana, Nebraska and Iowa. Coverage and Reentry Care: Louisiana Medicare open enrollment starts Oct. 15, and Medicaid has approved pre-release services for people leaving state prisons and jails. Community Wellness: A Baton Rouge workshop is helping residents process lingering trauma from the 2016 flood, while a local spa offers specialized facials for cancer patients. Family Support: A Louisiana home-visiting program that trains new parents is expanding.

Rural Health: Gov. Jeff Landry announced more than $3.5 billion in investments for rural Louisiana, including health care, roads and broadband; separately, the state has received $37.7 million to strengthen its rural health workforce. Insurance Costs: East Baton Rouge Parish is considering 2027 health-plan increases of about 25% for HMO and POS plans and 35% for high-deductible plans, raising concerns among employees and retirees. Care Access: Louisiana’s Medicaid program has approved prerelease services for people leaving prison or jail, while Medicare open enrollment begins Oct. 15. Heart Care: LCMC Health says Lakeview Hospital is the only Louisiana provider offering robotic-assisted, minimally invasive bypass surgery for selected patients. Women’s Health: Planned Parenthood is reopening its New Orleans clinic after nearly a year away, and a local nonprofit is offering grants for breast reconstruction. Public Health: Louisiana prohibits kratom sales; health officials warn the unregulated drug can cause dependence, seizures and liver toxicity.

Reentry Care: Louisiana won federal approval to provide Medicaid-funded health services—including mental health and substance-use care—to people in prison during the 60 days before release. The program is set to begin at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in early 2027, then expand to other prisons and participating jails. Rural Health: Louisiana received $37.7 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funding to strengthen rural care and workforce development, while state officials are due to outline broader rural-community initiatives in Ruston. Blood Supply: Our Lady of the Lake is seeking blood donors as its type O inventory reaches critically low levels. Family Support: A Louisiana home-visiting program that helps train new parents is expanding. Flood Recovery: Baton Rouge residents affected by the 2016 flood can attend a free Monday wellness workshop at the Main Library to work through the disaster’s lasting emotional impact.

Eye Research: At the New Orleans ophthalmology meeting, an early study of experimental CSB-001 reported vision gains for some patients with a rare, sight-threatening eye disease; pivotal trials are planned for 2027. Family Health: A Louisiana home-visiting program that trains new parents is expanding. Rural Care: Louisiana secured more than $37 million in rural-health funding, while LSUA received a $1.39 million state grant to expand healthcare training. Care Access: The state announced Medicaid pre-release services for incarcerated people. Community Needs: Our Lady of the Lake urged blood donations as type O supplies reached critically low levels. Three in four Louisiana SNAP closures were procedural, and affected families can reapply.

Maternal and Infant Health: Louisiana is getting nearly $14 million in federal funding to expand free home visits for expectant and new parents, offering guidance on infant care and connections to mental health, food and housing support. Rural Care: The state received more than $37 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funding, while LSUA secured a $1.39 million grant to grow rural health-care training. Blood Supply: Our Lady of the Lake is urging donations as its type O inventory reaches critically low levels. Care Access: Louisiana has launched Medicaid pre-release services for incarcerated people; meanwhile, Lane Regional Medical Center plans to close its labor and delivery unit and move three doctors to Woman’s Hospital.

Blood Supply: Our Lady of the Lake says type O supplies are critically low and urges donations at its Baton Rouge and Gonzales centers, noting O blood is often needed in emergencies. Flu Season: A Baton Rouge General physician recommends vaccination for nearly everyone 6 months and older. September and October are ideal, but it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Rural Care: Louisiana has received more than $37 million in federal rural-health funding, and LSUA won a $1.39 million state grant to expand rural healthcare training. The state also announced Medicaid services before incarcerated people leave prison. Overdose Alert: Health officials warn that synthetic opioid cychlorphine has been linked to at least two Louisiana deaths; multiple naloxone doses may be needed. Care Access: Lane Regional Medical Center is closing its labor and delivery unit and moving three doctors to Woman’s Hospital. Four north Louisiana hospitals are also slated for sale.

Flu Prevention: A Baton Rouge physician says September and October are ideal times for a flu shot, but vaccination later in the season can still help protect against illness and complications. Rural Care: Louisiana received more than $37 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program to support rural health care; LSUA also secured a $1.39 million state grant to expand rural health workforce training. Care Before Release: The Louisiana Department of Health announced Medicaid pre-release services for incarcerated people, aiming to help connect them with care as they leave custody. Hospital Access: Four North Louisiana hospitals, including Minden Medical Center, are set to be sold amid financial and regulatory pressures. Road Safety: Alcohol-related crashes in New Orleans have sharply declined: through September, one person had died and two were seriously injured, compared with 51 deaths or serious injuries in 2021.

Rural Care: Louisiana will receive $37.7 million to train, recruit and retain health workers, including support for 53 rural providers and health-care career programs at 39 campuses. LSUA also received a $1.39 million state grant to build hands-on training labs at three rural hospitals. Medicaid Reentry: Federal approval will let Louisiana cover certain health services for people up to 60 days before release from prison, helping connect them with mental-health and substance-use care. The program is expected to launch at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in early 2027. Water Safety: State officials lifted the boil-water advisory for Village Water System customers on Princeton Road after tests confirmed the water is safe.

Sleep Health: Louisiana adults are among the nation’s most sleep-deprived: about 40% get fewer than seven hours a night. A Pennington Biomedical sleep expert says work schedules and other pressures may contribute. Abortion Medication: The FDA told a Louisiana court its mifepristone safety review may not be complete until March 2027. Telehealth prescriptions and mail access remain in place for now. Seasonal Prevention: Flu activity is rising nationally, and Baton Rouge doctors say the virus is beginning to circulate locally; health officials recommend vaccination. Rural Care: Louisiana is investing $37.7 million to strengthen its rural health workforce, while the state also received $3 million for veteran suicide prevention. Local Programs: New Orleans is expanding its free diabetes prevention program, and Ochsner Baton Rouge has extended breast cancer screening hours this month. Youth Wellness: A federal survey found tobacco use among Louisiana young people declined from 2024 to 2025, though nicotine pouches are popular among those who still use tobacco.

Rural Care: Louisiana is investing up to $37.7 million in programs to train health workers and help rural providers recruit and retain staff. Storm Readiness: As Hurricane Isaias threatens the Gulf Coast, EMS agencies are adding crews and supplies; people who rely on dialysis, oxygen or regular prescriptions should plan for disruptions. Veterans’ Mental Health: Five Louisiana organizations will share nearly $3 million in VA grants for suicide prevention, peer support and connections to care. Abortion Access: The FDA says its mifepristone safety review, tied to Louisiana’s lawsuit, should be completed by March 2027; telehealth prescriptions remain available for now. Community Health: New Orleans has expanded its free diabetes-prevention program, and Ochsner opened a health center in Thibodaux. Shreveport’s MLK Health Center also offered free mammograms to uninsured and underinsured patients. Overdose Alert: State officials detected the synthetic opioid cychlorphine in at least two deaths and warn that multiple naloxone doses may be needed.

Storm Readiness: With Hurricane Isaias approaching the Gulf Coast, Louisiana families are urged to refill prescriptions and plan backup power for dialysis and oxygen equipment. Maternity Care: Lane Regional Medical Center is closing its labor and delivery unit and moving three doctors to Woman’s Hospital, reshaping where families in the area can give birth. Overdose Alert: State health officials say the synthetic opioid cychlorphine has been linked to at least two Louisiana deaths; they warn that multiple naloxone doses may be needed. Food Access: SNAP enrollment in Louisiana fell by about 170,000 people—21%—after rule changes, as food prices continue to rise. Cancer Screening: Ochsner Baton Rouge has expanded breast cancer screening hours during October. Health Trends: CDC data show Louisiana’s adult obesity rate fell to 35.6% in 2025, down from 39.2% in 2024.

Storm Readiness: With Tropical Storm Isaias threatening the Gulf Coast, Louisiana families who depend on dialysis, oxygen, insulin or daily medications are urged to refill prescriptions and plan for power outages and closed pharmacies. Entergy says crews are preparing for possible outages. Maternity Care: Lane Regional will close its labor and delivery unit Sunday; the Zachary hospital delivers about 350 babies a year. Three doctors are moving to Woman’s Hospital, while prenatal care is expected to remain in Zachary. Cancer Care: LSU Health New Orleans is launching its first academic radiation oncology department, led by physician-scientist Puneeth Iyengar, to expand treatment, research and training. Overdose Alert: The Louisiana Department of Health says the synthetic opioid cychlorphine has been detected in at least two deaths and warns that multiple naloxone doses may be needed. Hospital Changes: Allegiance Health plans to sell four Louisiana hospitals, including Minden Medical Center and Northern Louisiana Medical Center.

Food Access: Louisiana SNAP enrollment fell by about 170,000 people—21%—between July 2025 and June 2026 as new rules took effect, even as food prices rose. Overdose Warning: State health officials say cychlorphine was found in at least two overdose deaths since December and warn that more than one naloxone dose may be needed. Hospital Changes: Allegiance Health plans to sell four Louisiana hospitals, including Minden Medical Center and Northern Louisiana Medical Center. Children’s Care: Ochsner Children’s was named a Pancreas Center of Excellence. Water Quality: A Catahoula resident says discolored, sediment-filled tap water remains troubling; officials say quality should improve after the area joins a consolidated water system. Product Recall: A nationwide recall covers more than 122,000 cases of Gatorade sold in Louisiana and 36 other states because four flavors contain undeclared yellow dyes.