The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana launched a new health-care policy newsletter on Wednesday.
“It’s a new focus on health-care issues since we spend so much time and a large portion of the (state) budget on it,” said Jim Brandt, president of the governmental research group.
Brandt noted that about 30 percent of Louisiana government’s budget goes to health care for the state’s medically indigent, aged and disabled.
The first issue of “On the Health Record” delves into the impact of U.S. Senate Finance chairman Max Baucus’ national health-care legislation on Louisiana.
The bill cleared the U.S. Senate Finance panel earlier this week.
The newsletter also provides statistics on the growth of U.S. health-care expenditures compared to other countries; the growth of health insurance premium costs in Louisiana for families; and notes that the insured are paying about $900 a year in premiums to subsidize costs of the uninsured.
“We want to keep everyone informed as far as information that will be helpful to decision-makers and citizens because of the fiscal impact of the decisions we make on health care and the effect on their lives,” Brandt said.
He said there is no set schedule for newsletter publication. “But it’s likely to be more frequent now because of the activity in Washington and how it will affect the state,” he said. “There’s so much change — almost hourly.”
The newsletter refers readers to PAR reports on various health-care topics that have been released in recent years and promotes an upcoming report scheduled to be released this fall, “Public Mental Health Care in Louisiana.”
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