The first Senate Committee hearing on the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 takes place today. It’s a legislative package that Sen. Bill Cassidy is playing a big part in. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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An atmospheric layer of dust from the Sarahan Desert has fallen over the central gulf region, bringing with it beautiful sunsets, but the potential for respiratory issues…
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New legislation signed into law will make it possible to have alcohol delivered with your food order. Kevin Barnhart has the details.
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Senator Bill Cassidy says a proposal to end surprise medical billing, lower the cost of prescription drugs, increase transparency in the healthcare system, and secure a patient’s personal data will get a hearing in front of a Senate committee today. Cassidy says the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 faces hurdles but has a good chance of reaching the President’s desk.
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Cassidy says a second Senate committee hearing will take place in July. If both committees pass the measure, it heads to the Senate floor.
Cassidy says the measure ultimately comes down having better health outcomes.
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The Saharan Air Layer, when dust from the Saharan Desert in Africa gets kicked up and swept into the atmosphere, has descended on Louisiana.
State Climatologist Barry Keim says the dust can create some respiratory issues for more allergy prone people, but does come with some interesting optics…
Louisiana sees about one to two SAL events a year.
While it may frustrate some allergy sufferers and create a somewhat strange milky white effect in otherwise blue skies, Keim says there is a beautiful side effect to the weather phenomena.
The dust itself can be found about a mile up in the air and can stretch as far as four miles into the atmosphere. Keim says the massive blanket of dust has taken an epic journey to get here.
He adds the blanket should keep tropical activity at bay for the next week or so.
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Louisiana’s Hepatitis A outbreak is growing, with 305 cases reported dating back to the outbreak that was declared in December of last year. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says while we haven’t seen outbreaks in the thousands like some of our neighbors, it’s still a significantly more cases than normal.
Kanter says nationally, since the outbreak was declared in 2016 there’s been about 20,000 cases.
LDH is pushing back, hoping to contain the outbreak through vaccinations before the state sees an even more dramatic rise in cases by focusing on the two highest risk groups.
Kanter recommends talking to your doctor about possibly getting vaccinated if you think you might be at risk.
Kanter says most cases of Hep A do not leave the patient with long term damage, but getting infected can be a really unpleasant experience.
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The Governor has signed into law a bill authored by Shreveport Representative Thomas Carmody allowing delivery services to bring low alcohol content adult beverages along with a food order to your front door. Carmody says there is a catch, as only W-2 employees of delivery services can make the drop-offs, which disqualifies several popular services.
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Another bill from Belle Chasse Representative Chris Leopold allowing grocery and liquor stores to hire their own drivers to make deliveries has also been signed into law.
Carmody predicts that the availability of the service will be very popular.
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Carmody says the law will have restrictions on the type of alcohol delivered as the beverages must be factory sealed.
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The booze also cannot be delivered to a home if it is on a college campus.
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LSU allowed 35 sacks last season, tied with Texas A-and-M for most given up in the SEC. New passing game coordinator Joe Brady’s plan for next season is not to keep more blockers in the backfield, but for starting quarterback Joe Burrow to get rid of the ball quicker…
The 29-year-old Brady was hired in January to work with offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger on developing an offense that will contain more run-pass option schemes. Brady says the offense is completely implemented, but it’s not a finished product…
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Brady on what LSU fans will see this fall