Tort reform advocates say recently passed legislation will lower auto insurance rates 10-15 percent, but how can we get that number even lower? This Bogalusa representative has an idea…
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Health experts warn that testing negative for COVID after having significant exposure to a COVID positive person is no guarantee you weren’t infected. Matt Doyle has more.
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The AARP of Louisiana is sounding the alarm on long term care facilities and their inability to take basic COVID-19 precautions. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”
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An estimated 13 percent of Louisiana motorists are uninsured, and a Bogalusa Representative says increasing the minimum wage would lower that number.
The business lobby has never been a fan of raising the minimum, but Representative Malinda White says if the working poor got a living wage they could afford insurance, lowering rates for everyone.
Tort reform advocates say recently passed legislation will lower rates by 10-15 percent, but if that number holds up Louisiana would still rank among the highest rates in the nation.
White says many workers don’t make enough money to both keep a roof over their heads and pay for auto insurance, so they go uninsured. She says that leads to a vicious cycle when they get caught.
White says the state’s high number of uninsured motorists is directly linked to our low wages, which results in some of the nation’s highest auto insurance rates.
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If you’ve had significant exposure to a person with COVID-19 but still test negative should you go back to work before your 14-day quarantine ends? Health experts say no.
Ochsner Infectious Disease specialist Dr. Sandra Kemmerly says if you get exposed and immediately seek a COVID test the answer may not be helpful.
Significant exposure is having contact with a COVID positive person within six feet for longer than 15 minutes.
Kemmerly says that’s because the virus can take days, or even over a week to build up in your system enough to actually be detected by current tests.
So if you are asked to self-quarantine for 14 days a negative COVID test does not release you from that quarantine.
And on the topic of testing for COVID, the recent increase in demand for testing as cases surge in Louisiana has Ochsner announcing they will no longer test non-symptomatic patients.
Kemmerly says they are saving those kits for symptomatic patients in urgent care and emergency room facilities.
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The AARP indicates the state is not doing a good enough job with the basic COVID-19 precautions needed to stem the loss of life and protect residents and staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. AARP State Director Denise Bottcher says around long term care facilities makeup around 1,500 deaths in the state.
Cut 10 (09) “…raising the alarm.”
Nationally, 50,000 long term facility residents have died from the virus. Bottcher says congressional action is needed to make sure facilities are regularly testing and have the appropriate PPE.
Cut 11 (11) “…for virtual visitation.”
Bottcher says in recent weeks, the AARP has learned that about a third of facilities are not in compliance with regular testing of residents and staff, but non-compliance has been an issue for quite some time in different areas of cleanliness.
Cut 12 (12) “…before the pandemic..”
The AARP also opposed any sort of immunity from accountability for facilities with issues linked to COVID-19.
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Governor Edwards is expected to sign a bill placing an eight percent tax on net revenue from online fantasy sports wagering. Crowley Representative John Stefanski authored the legislation and says after it is signed into law, the gaming control board then has the ability to set rules.
Cut 13 (11) “…accept the revenue.”
In 2018, voters in 47 of the 64 parishes legalized fantasy sports betting and have been waiting for lawmakers to pass the tax component in order to win cash prizes with services like FanDuel and DraftKings. Stefanski says those companies are standing by ready to implement regulation.
Cut 14 (11) “…the ground running.”
Stefanski believes those that want to participate in fantasy sports with the showdown between Drew Brees and Tom Brady in the first week of NFL games this year should be good to go .
Cut 15 (08) “…it wouldn’t be.”
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