Louisiana health department seeks feedback to improve rural health care

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana’s health department seeks feedback from hospitals, health care providers, residents and others to address rural health care in the state.

Health officials want strategies to address challenges as the Louisiana Rural Health Transformation Task Force looks for solutions. The Rural Health Transformation Program was enacted on July 4, with $50 billion allocated to states by Congress. A comprehensive plan must be sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by early November.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, 44 of the state’s 64 parishes are designated as fully or partially rural, with 29.1% of the population living in rural areas. Health officials said rural residents face higher rates of heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

“As a state, we have an opportunity to rethink the way we offer health in our rural communities, and I’m excited about the opportunities this program will bring to transform lives in meaningful ways for our rural residents,” said Secretary Bruce Greenstein. “Our rural task force is composed of stakeholders who truly understand rural Louisiana. We’ve thought of some innovative ideas, but we want input from around the state to ensure we’re submitting a robust application.” 

Responses are wanted from:

• Hospitals
• Health care providers
• Academic institutions
• Community-based organizations
• Technology suppliers
• Rural residents

Click here to submit responses online until the 5 p.m. Sept. 24 deadline.

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