HJBR Mar/Apr 2024

30 MAR / APR 2024  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs successfully completing the program, pro- viding a tangible acknowledgment of their commitment to a healthier lifestyle. • Covered Medications and Counseling Ser- vices: Louisiana Healthcare Connections covers medications and counseling ser- vices prescribed by network providers. Generic nicotine replacement products, including gum, lozenges, and patches, as well as Bupropion SR (Zyban), are among the covered medications. Counseling ser- vices, such as This is Quitting, motivational text message support, and hypnotherapy for quitting smoking, are also available. • Provider Involvement: Members seeking smoking cessation support can obtain pre- scriptions for covered medications and counseling services from network provid- ers, ensuring a comprehensive and person- alized approach to quitting. “Quitting tobacco, whether cigarettes, chew, or vapes, has tremendous health benefits,” notes Louisiana Healthcare Connections Chief Medical Officer Stewart T. Gordon, MD, FAAP. “This one decision can greatly reduce your risk for disease and early death. The main thing is to find a pro- gram that works for you and stick with it, as it may take several attempts to quit for good.” n Orleans, Amelia Jernigan, MD, was also witness- ing this phenomenon of worsening obesity and increasing endometrial cancer in her daily work. “We are already seeing and treating women with obesity at Metamor and at the metabolic sur- gery program at LSU Health in New Orleans. Both programs take multidisciplinary approaches to improve overall patient health, and it only made sense to ask a few additional questions as part of this novel screening tool to determine endome- trial cancer risk in these women,” Albaugh said. Albaugh and Jernigan quickly realized it made sense to join forces to find solutions. Together, they have utilized their new screening tool for almost two years and have screened about 2,000 women pursuing metabolic surgery. “We have been surprised by the number of women experiencing abnormal bleeding. Unfor- tunately, most don’t realize their cycles are abnor- mal and they don’t realize they are at increased risk for cancer. Identifying these women with can- cer early can prevent the need for hysterectomy or other invasive treatments, obviously a tremen- dous benefit in women still wanting to bear chil- dren,” he said. Albaugh and Jernigan are advocating for all metabolic/bariatric clinics to start screening their female patients for endometrial cancer, some- times called uterine cancer. The screening helps overcome the difficulties of diagnosing a cancer that masquerades as a normal menstrual cycle. Many of the symptoms are present for years in women before they begin to realize that some- thing might be wrong. “Our goal is to catch these cancers at very early stages and eliminate the cancer before the need for a major surgery,” he said. “Our long-term goal is to determine if treating obesity will prevent a woman from developing endometrial cancer. Ulti- mately, we want to decrease cancer rates among the general public by treating obesity effectively.” Louisiana Healthcare Connections Offers Help to Quit Smoking A recent survey from Forbes Health confirms that quitting smoking remains in the top ten of New Year’s resolutions for 2024. Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable diseases, impact- ing both physical and mental health. Recognizing the importance of addressing this public health concern, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, a Medicaid health plan serving the Louisiana Department of Health and a wholly owned sub- sidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), is dedicated to assisting members in their quest to quit smoking and promoting overall well-being. In this ongoing commitment to health and well- being, Louisiana Healthcare Connections reminds members of its comprehensive smoking cessa- tion program aimed at supporting individuals in their journey towards a smoke-free life. The ini- tiative includes a range of resources and rewards. Key Program Features: • Sharecare Craving to Quit Program: Lou- isiana Healthcare Connections encour- ages members to take advantage of the Sharecare Craving to Quit program. This evidence-based program offers coaching calls, self-guided lessons, motivational text message support, and community engage- ment to aid individuals in their journey to quit smoking. • Financial Incentives: To further motivate members, Louisiana Healthcare Con- nections provides a $10 reward for par- ticipants in the Craving to Quit program. Additionally, members can earn a $25 My Health Pays smoking cessation reward upon