HJBR Jan/Feb 2020

44 JAN / FEB 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs The payment model with Asegua, announced earlier this summer, allows the State to purchase an unrestricted amount of Asegua’s direct-act- ing antiviral medication, the authorized generic of Epclusa, for dispensing within the Medicaid and Corrections populations at a capped cost. Walmart is committed to being a center of wellbeing in the communities it serves through quarterly wellness days, $4 generic prescrip- tion program, low-cost immunizations, free health screenings, and an assortment of organic products and groceries at everyday low prices. Walmart’s Specialty Pharmacy business pub- lished a study documenting how its high-touch approach with hepatitis C patients improved treatment outcomes through strong, coordi- nated care processes. “With more than 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of a Walmart, we are an impor- tant part of the community and the daily lives of our customers,” said Dr. Thomas Van Gilder, chief medical officer for Walmart U.S. Health & Wellness. “We are proud to collaborate with LDH on this important initiative to help people live better – and healthier – lives.”  In the United States, hepatitis C kills more peo- ple than the 60 other reportable infectious dis- eases combined. An estimated 39,000 people in Louisiana’s Medicaid program and prison system are infected with hepatitis C. Fire Fighters Donate $10K to American Heart Assoc.-Capital Area Chad Major, president of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana, recently pre- sented a check for $10,000 and pledged a total of $30,000 over three years to the American Heart Association-Capital Area. This generous donation will help to implement CPR in Schools Training Kits throughout the greater Baton Rouge community. Kerin Spears, vice president of Greater Louisiana area for the American Heart Association, and her Capital Area team received the donation. About 80% of cardiac arrests that occur out- side a hospital happen at home. About 89% of those victims don’t survive because, often, people around them don’t step in to perform CPR. These community members will recognize cardiac arrest and perform lifesaving CPR, in most cases saving the life of a family member. The American Heart Association is creating a generation of lifesavers by making sure students learn CPR before they graduate. The CPR in Schools Training Kit empowers stu- dents to learn the core skills of CPR in under 30 minutes. The kit contains everything needed to learn CPR, AED skills, and choking relief in school classroom settings. The easy-to-use kit is designed specifically for the needs of school educators, and is portable, allowing for easy movement from classroom to classroom and easy storage. Teaching students CPR before they graduate would put thousands of qualified lifesavers in our community, year after year. For example, training 1,000 students will provide knowledge to 1,500 people with the 1.5X multiplier.  The AHA Capital Area also has CPR Anytime Kits available for companies or other organiza- tions looking for a way to donate and save lives in our community. CPR & First Aid Anywhere Training Kit is designed to meet the needs of workplaces, community organizations, and Pictured, left to right: Donna Ashcraft, Sr. Regional Director, American Heart Association - Capital Area; Rebecca Fontenot, Heart Walk Director, American Heart Association - Capital Area; Chad Major, President of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana; Kerin Spears, Vice President, American Heart Association - Capital Area; Stephanie Hughson, Director, Go Red for Women, American Heart Association - Capital Area; Emily Davis, Heart Walk Director, American Heart Association - Capital Area)