Bold priorities aim to save taxpayer money, ensure program stability, and improve health outcomes

The Louisiana Department of Health’s (LDH) new Secretary Bruce Greenstein announced three key initiatives on Monday to address the state’s most pressing healthcare challenges. These efforts also aim to ensure more stability in the programs the Department administers.

“Today, I hit the ground running,” Greenstein said. “The Department has a great team in place that has started moving the needle for our state’s healthcare system. Our new initiatives will improve health outcomes while saving taxpayer money.”

The three initiatives announced make up a portion of the Department’s vision. Priorities include improving behavioral health, making the Louisiana Medicaid program more efficient, and doubling down to fight fraud, waste, and abuse while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security of patients’ and members’ information.

Fraud Waste and Abuse Task Force

The Fraud Waste and Abuse Task Force will initially target three key areas:

LDH/Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) data-sharing partnership: LDH and OMV launch a data-sharing partnership starting April 23 to help improve the accuracy of the Medicaid rolls. This will ensure that the state isn’t paying monthly premiums for individuals holding an active driver’s license in another state.

AI data project with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL): LDH is partnering with LA DOGE and ULL to utilize AI and data analytics to identify and address waste, abuse, and fraudulent practices within Louisiana Medicaid.

Enhanced collaboration between the LDH Program Integrity Unit and the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU): Enhanced collaboration with MFCU will increase LDH’s ability to detect, investigate, and prosecute fraudulent activity and maximize recoveries for the Medicaid program.