HJBR May/Jun 2026

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2026 33 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com series, designed to support blood pressure management and other chronic health issues through its long-standing partnership with the LSU AgCenter. • Advising members regarding WIC nutrition resources for parents and children, seasonal guidance on choosing healthy foods, and specialized guidance for expectant moms. • Offering provider education on high blood pressure management and nutrition options, such as the DASH diet, in continuing education webinars. • Promoting community nutrition initia- tives such as the Louisiana Department of Health’s Greaux the Good Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) match funding at farmers markets and the new Louisiana Carrot Initiative that encourages SNAP participants to choose more fresh fruits and vegetables. SNAP shoppers can receive a 30-cent produce bonus for every SNAP dollar spent on eligible fruits and vegetables at participating retailers — earn- ing up to $25 per month in bonus benefits. The health plan has also made funding avail- able statewide to support community food dis- tributions, school-based pantries, and medically tailored food programs that help individuals man- age chronic health conditions through nutrition. For heart-healthy recipes and nutrition resources, visit the LSU AgCenter’s Build a Healthy Meal program at: http://www.lsuagcenter.com/buildahealthymeal HHS, CMS Announce Healthcare Advisory CommitteeMembers David Carmouche, MD, a Baton Rouge physician executive and chief medical and commercial officer at Lumeris, has been named to the new federal Healthcare Advisory Committee, which will advise the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on care delivery and financing across Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Carmouche is a graduate of Tulane and LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. He practiced internal medicine at The Baton Rouge Clinic before serving in senior leadership roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Ochsner Health. He later led Walmart Health’s national efforts to expand primary care and virtual care in underserved communities. LDHCloses Out Contract with UnitedHealthcare, Reassigns Members The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced the closure of its contract with UnitedHealthcare. Medicaid members previously enrolled with UnitedHealthcare were reassigned to other participating managed care organizations (MCOs) to ensure uninterrupted access to care. LDH established a special enrollment period during which UnitedHealthcare members could select a plan with a new MCO. Of the nearly 280,000 members enrolled in UnitedHealthcare, over 36,000 selected a new plan. Those members who did not select a new plan by the end of the special enrollment period were assigned to new plans using an algorithm that prioritized placements that kept family members together and aimed to ensure members remained with their in-network providers. Members who are not satisfied with their new plan may change plans without cause. LDH will continue to monitor the transition over the coming weeks to support members and address any issues that arise. Louisiana Health Leaders AffirmSupport for AAP 2026 Immunization Schedule Leading Louisiana health organizations and community partners reaffirmed their support for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2026 Immunization Schedule, emphasizing that Louisiana families deserve continued access to evidence-based, nationally recognized vaccine guidance. Their reaffirmed support follows recent federal changes to the immunization schedule that removed routine recommendations for several diseases, including hepatitis, meningitis, and HPV. The AAP 2026 schedule remains consistent with 2025 recommendations, advising protection against 18 serious diseases and reflecting the national standard of care supported by pediatricians and family physicians across the country. Louisiana organizations aligned in support of the AAP 2026 Immunization Schedule include: • 10,000 Women Louisiana • Allon Babies • Autism Society of Greater New Orleans • Health Heroes of Louisiana • Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians • Louisiana Chapter of the American Acad- emy of Pediatrics • Louisiana Families for Vaccines • Louisiana Public Health Institute • March of Dimes • New Orleans Health Department • Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum • Orleans Parish Medical Society • Sun Wellness Resource Center “These recommendations are grounded in decades of rigorous research and clinical exper- tise,” said Natashia Cheatham, executive director of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Acad- emy of Pediatrics. “Our pediatricians remain com- mitted to protecting Louisiana’s children through science-based prevention. Vaccination remains one of the most effective tools we have to safe- guard child health.” “The vast majority of families choose vaccination when guided by trusted healthcare professionals,” said Ragan LeBlanc, executive vice president of the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians. “Our role is to ensure families continue to have access to accurate information and routine immunization options.” LDH Implements SNAP Healthy FoodWaiver The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is empowering families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to make healthier food choices with today’s implementation of Louisiana’s SNAP Food Restriction Waiver. Approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on August 4, 2025, the two-year pilot initiative removes soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy from the list of items eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. This project aims to direct SNAP bene- fits toward nutritious foods to reduce obesity,