State health officials are advising flood victims to check their home for mold. Emelie Gunn has some tips…
______________________________________
The F.D.A. has pushed back the date to enforce calorie content menu labeling. Emelie Gunn has more…
______________________________________
The head of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association says it’s very quiet out there when it comes to production. Jeff Palermo has the story…
______________________________________________
A report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finds Medicaid expansion will improve mental healthcare in Louisiana. Director for the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services Vikki Wachino says in states where Medicaid was expanded, there was an increase in residents receiving regular preventive care and a decrease in patients skipping medications because of costs.
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Richard Frank says expanding Medicaid offers states unique opportunities to address mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. He says it brings people into effective treatment and is fully paid for under Obamacare.
The report says 81-thousand Louisianans who suffer from mental illnesses or substance abuse would likely qualify for Medicaid after the expansion. Frank says states can be expected to have a more productive workforce, because expanding treatment means healthier and more productive citizens.
___________________________________________________
State health officials have tips to clean up and remove mold from flooded homes. Gina Lagarde, with the state Department of Public Health, says mold can cause coughing, itchy eyes and headaches. She advises when you’re cleaning up mold to wear protective gear, because spores can be released into the air.
Lagarde says look for water stained, water lined, and dark spots on the ceiling or walls. She says if you smell a musky order or earthy scent, you likely have mold…
Lagarde says making sure you area is dry and fixing the moisture problem is just as important as cleaning the mold, because it can come back if damp. She says ventilation throughout the home is key to keeping the mold out.
___________________________________________________
The Food and Drug Administration is delaying enforcing rules to require chain-restaurants to post a calorie content on their menu until 2017. Pennington Biomedical Research Center Professor Dr. Catherine Champagne understands the challenges restaurants face in posting calorie information on their menu, but it would greatly benefit those who watch their calorie intake.
Champagne says the biggest challenge will be enforcing the calorie content rule. She says often times menus change, so it makes it difficult for businesses to have up to date nutritional information.
Champagne believes adding the calorie content of food to menus will be beneficial for people who care about what they eat. She says those that are conscious of what’s going into their bodies will be the people that pay attention to the labels.
-______________________________________________
Drilling activity has hit an all-time low in Louisiana. That’s according to Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. Briggs says 25 rigs are running in the Gulf of Mexico and only five are in operation on land in south Louisiana…
With oil trading at around 40-dollars a barrel, there’ s not much hope that rig activity will pick up in the near future. Briggs says this could lead to more layoffs and businesses in the oil and gas industry shutting down…
Briggs says it’s a depressing time right now, but the industry will come back. He says on the bright side several financial institutions in New York are looking to take advantage of the slow activity and invest in the industry now…