HJBR Mar/Apr 2022

34 MAR / APR 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs The Capital Region (Region 2) is one of Louisi- ana’s nine administrative regions that include all 64 parishes in the state. These regions, known as Human Services Districts and Authorities or local governing entities, are established by Loui- siana State Law to direct the operation and man- agement of public, community-based programs and services relative to mental health, intellec- tual/developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders. Prior to her research with the department, Grey Riveria worked predominantly as a primary care provider within the federally qualified health cen- ter system. She also has diverse work experience that includes utilization management and entre- preneurship, as well as global health experience in Ghana, India, and Senegal. Riveria received a bachelor’s degree from Lou- isiana Tech University, a medical doctorate from Johns Hopkins, a master’s in public health from Harvard, and a master’s in business from the Uni- versity of Illinois at Chicago. FDA Authorizes First Anti- Viral Pills for COVID-19 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued an emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets), the first oral treatment for COVID-19. The pill can be used to treat mild-to-moder- ate coronavirus disease in adults and pediatric patients who are 12 years of age and older weigh- ing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) who test positive for COVID and are at high risk of hos- pitalization or death. Paxlovid is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after test- ing positive for COVID and within five days of symptom onset. Prescribers should be aware of the potential for significant drug interactions and contraindica- tions for use with certain drugs. In addition, Pax- lovid is not recommended in patients with severe kidney or severe liver impairment. In patients with moderate renal impairment, a reduced Paxlovid dose is needed. Louisiana has received a very limited number of Paxlovid regimens. These pills have been allo- cated to a small number of independent phar- macies across the state. If you feel you may be a Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Honors Community Leaders Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center recently recog- nized and presented several awards, named after individuals who made a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. These awards honored Sandra Brown, PhD, the Gonzales Area Founda- tion, and J. Gerald “Jerry” Jolly. Louisiana Department of Health Receives CMS Approval to Launch TEFRA The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Ser- vices (CMS) has granted approval for Louisiana Medicaid to launch Act 421 Children’s Medicaid Option, or TEFRA. This program allows certain children under 19 years of age with disabilities to receive Medicaid coverage, regardless of paren- tal income. The TEFRA option disregards family income for children with disabilities who meet specific crite- ria, so they may qualify for Medicaid to cover the services they need to grow and thrive while liv- ing at home. To qualify, children must have a disability that is recognized under the definition utilized in the Supplemental Security Income program of the Social Security Administration and must meet basic Medicaid and institutional level-of-care requirements. Additionally, their care must cost less at home than in an institution. “In our work each day within the Louisiana Department of Health, our goal is to help individ- uals receive care in a safe setting of their choice. We are grateful for both of our legislators and to CMS for approval to offer an option allowing chil- dren to remain in their homes to receive care that will help them thrive,” said LDH Secretary Court- ney N. Phillips, PhD. Applicants must complete four steps, which include: 1. Medicaid application. 2. Level of care assessment at your local gov- erning entity. 3. Disability determination. 4. Enrollment/service coverage through a Healthy Louisiana plan. Visit http://www.ldh.la.gov/act421 for addi- tional information and answers to frequently asked questions. Baton Rouge Health District Selected as EDA Build Back Better Finalist The Baton Rouge Health District, as a lead part- ner in the Gulf Coast Health Sciences Corridor, is one of 60 coalitions selected as a finalist for the EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge. This $1 billion challenge, the marquee of EDA’s Ameri- can Rescue Plan programs, is a once-in-a-genera- tion funding opportunity aimed at strengthening growth in communities nationwide by leveraging local assets and encouraging collaboration. EDA recently announced 60 finalists out of a pool of over 500 applications. The Gulf Coast Health Sci- ences Corridor, a unique collaboration between hub cities Baton Rouge and New Orleans and led by the New Orleans BioInnovation Center in partnership with the Baton Rouge Health Dis- trict, will receive a $500,000 Phase 1 award and will advance to Phase 2 and compete for up to $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding to develop and scale the health sciences industry in Southeast Louisiana. Paulette Grey Riveria, MD, is LDHCapital RegionMedical Director/Administrator Paulette L. Grey Riveria, MD, has joined the Louisiana Department of Health as the regional medical director/administrator for the seven par- ishes of the Capital Region. Riveria is a board- certified family medicine physician who most recently served as a consultant to the Office of Public Health, conducting a novel statewide assessment of healthcare worker attitudes and experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Paulette L. Grey Riveria, MD