As of July 1, Louisiana will expand Medicaid, allowing an estimated 375,000 people to become eligible for federally sponsored coverage, according to The Times-Picayune.
Louisiana is the 31st state in the U.S. to expand Medicaid and the first state to receive approval from the federal government to tie eligibility to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps. Enrollment for the program, which was renamed "Healthy Louisiana" in May, began in early June.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) signed Medicaid expansion on his first day as governor. He described Healthy Louisiana as a key policy initiative of his administration, and emphasized the need to educate state residents about the newly expanded program.
"When we talk about positive impact, we don't just mean for healthcare, we mean for the economy and the budget," Gov. Edwards said, citing the $180 million savings his administration has projected, according to the report. "We want to make sure the public gets all the information they need."