Matt Doyle talked to Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera about Senator John Kennedy’s concerns with the state’s new computer system that checks income eligibility for Medicaid.
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U-S Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy have blocked two President Trump nominees to the U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development in the hopes it will lead to more money for 2016 flood victims. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Louisiana’s Senior Senator Bill Cassidy had an opportunity to question top executives of several pharmaceutical companies about rising prescription drug costs. During a Senate Finance hearing, Cassidy, who is a medical doctor, thanked them for their advancements in medicine, but he says some patients can not take advantage of it, because of the high cost..
Cassidy says Humira, which treats arthritis and Crohn’s Disease, is sold at an 80-percent discount in Denmark and the drug manufacturer still makes a profit.
Cassidy says there is acknowledgment from the pharmaceutical industry that there is a problem in prescription drug affordability, which is a good first step…
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Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera is confident the Medicaid program is headed in the right direction after the implementation of a new computer check system that verifies a person’s income automatically, instead of the old way that relied on self reporting. Purpera says on a whole the new system is a good start, but…
On Tuesday, Senator John Kennedy criticized LDH, saying he did not trust the new computer system, or the people in charge of running it.
Kennedy says LDH has been uncooperative with the Auditor, a accusation Secretary Rebekah Gee disputes. Purpera says they have a good working relationship with the department, but occasionally there are disagreements.
Purpera says the department has been receptive to his ideas, and cited the recent system wide income check that revealed thousands of ineligible enrollees as one example.
Senator Kennedy has called for Secretary Gee to be fired, citing the tens of millions of dollars spent on Medicaid recipients who were not income eligible. Purpera says an audit did reveal that a significant portion of the past Medicaid population may have been income eligible.
Gee defended the department saying the funds were not wasted, and most of it was federal money.
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The old state capitol in Baton Rouge has opened a new, permanent exhibit celebrating the 25th anniversary of the building’s restoration called “Castle on the River: The Evolution of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol.” It documents the building from its inception to the current function as a museum. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says the building’s storied history is chronicled in the exhibit.
Ardoin says the free exhibit will take those making the tour through some of the historical sections of the building.
Cut 10 (10)“…something for everybody.”
Ardoin says those that are interested in the architectural history and the structure of the building will also find themselves intrigued with the display.
Cut 11 (09) “…everything for everybody.”
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Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins questioned President Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, who said before the House Oversight committee that Trump is a racist, a conman and a cheat. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Moscow real estate project that Trump denies ever pursuing. Higgins, a former law enforcement officer, had this to say to Cohen…
During his opening statement, Cohen said at one time he was so mesmerized by Trump that he was willing to do things for him that he knew were absolutely wrong. The president employed Cohen for more than a decade. But Higgins suggested in his questioning that Cohen didn’t say anything today that damages Trump…
Higgins concluded his questioning with a statement on why Cohen was brought before Congress and he says it’s only to benefit the democrats who are looking to damage the president…