HJNO Mar/Apr 2024

38 MAR / APR 2024  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs Commissioner TimTemple Releases Statement on Withdrawal of BCBSLA Transaction Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple released a statement regarding Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana’s withdrawal of its plan of reorganization and the cancellation of the LDI hearing originally set to review the plan. “Over the past year, Louisiana Department of Insurance staff have worked with BCBSLA and Elevance and listened to the concerns of rate- payers, providers, policymakers and physicians. We administered this process transparently, and I am proud of our team’s diligent work. “We had planned to hear from the two com- panies and consumer advocates during today’s hearing to address important questions raised by policyholders, Louisiana Department of Insur- ance experts and the Louisiana Legislature. How- ever, as of this morning, the parties have elected to withdraw their application. There are serious questions that require answers to provide pro- tections and safeguards for Louisiana ratepayers and providers. The withdrawal of the application forecloses further consideration of this matter. “I am grateful for the level of consideration brought to this process by Governor Landry, Chairman Talbot and the Senate Insurance Com- mittee, Chairman McMath and the Senate Health & Welfare Committee, and other key stakehold- ers. Most importantly, the Louisiana Department of Insurance received numerous public comments on this proposed transaction from members of the public, and I want them to know I read, con- sidered and appreciated what they had to say. “I have and always will stand on the side of Lou- isiana ratepayers and am honored to always have their backs. “For more information about the proposed transaction that has now been withdrawn, please visit https://ldi.la.gov/public-hearing- and-rulemaking-notices.” Louisiana Epilepsy Care and Research ConsortiumHolds 2nd Annual Conference The second annual conference of the Louisi- ana Epilepsy Care and Research Consortium was held on Jan. 20, 2024, at the Higgins Hotel in New Orleans. The program, in collaboration with the Epilepsy Foundation of Louisiana, was structured to engage professionals about public health chal- lenges related to epilepsy care, innovations and developments in the field, and promote research collaborations. Fawad A. Khan, MD, CPPS, section head of the International Center for Epilepsy at Ochsner and Nicole Villemarette-Pittman, PhD, director of Clin- ical Research for the Neuroscience Research Cen- ter of Excellence, started a nonprofit organization in 2023 to build a society of professionals within the state of Louisiana that focuses on clinical care and research in the epilepsy community. Presentations, networking sessions, and moder- ated discussions focused on common challenges and new advances in care. Nearly 50 providers and professionals from community practices, Tulane, LSUHSC-NO, Ochsner, LSUHS, OLG, Our Lady of the Lake, Thibodaux Regional Health System, and Children’s Hospital New Orleans attended. Participants connected to build a shared vision for improving clinical care, access to care within the state, and patient safety and outcomes. The consortium aims to foster inno- vative research that will set the future standard of care for epilepsy. The conference keynote speaker was Swaroop Aradhya, PhD, chief of global medical affairs and chief scientific officer for rare diseases, Invitae Corporation. He shared valuable insights into the future of precision medicine in epilepsy. Thibodaux Regional Health SystemWelcomes Trevor Johnson, MD Thibodaux Regional Health System announced the addition of Trevor Johnson, MD, pain man- agement specialist, to the active medical staff. Johnson is available to care for patients at Thibodaux Regional Pain Clinic, located at 726 North Acadia Road, Suite 2400, in Thibodaux. Johnson received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He earned a medical degree from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Med- icine in Little Rock, where he also completed a fellowship in chronic pain management. During a residency at Ochsner Medical Center, Johnson served as chief resident of anesthesiology. Johnson specializes in treating various pain con- ditions including low back pain, neck pain, joint pain, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, complex regional pain syndromes, post-herpetic neuralgia, and chronic postoper- ative pain. DCHC Assists Mothers with PostpartumDepression Postpartum depression (PPD) is experienced by one in eight women. Marked by more intense feelings of sadness, despair, anxiety, and irrita- bility, PPD causes mothers to experience exacer- bated feelings of inadequacy or isolation. DePaul Community Health Centers has services to sup- port women who display symptoms of postpar- tum depression. Black women are one of the most under-treated groups for depression in the United States. Sin- gle Black mothers are six times more likely than the general population to experience depres- sive symptoms. Black and Indigenous women are two-to-three times more likely to experience maternal mental health symptoms, yet less likely to receive care. DePaul recommends that mothers, especially those that have recently given birth, consider engaging in extra self-care, which can include additional sleep and exercise, social supports, mental health support, or medication. For more information on resources, log on to www.depaulcommunityhealthcenters.org or call (504) 207-3060. Additionally, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau has created a national toll- free maternal mental health hotline with 24-7 help available at (833) TLC-MAMA. Trevor Johnson, MD