Louisiana Launches Initiative To Reach Uninsured

The Department of Health and Hospitals will launch an extensive outreach and enrollment campaign April 29 through May 2 during national Cover the Uninsured Week. Activities around the state will focus on increasing awareness and access to public health coverage for uninsured children through the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP), other Medicaid programs and the new expansion LaCHIP Affordable Plan.

"The first step toward improving the health of Louisiana's children is ensuring they have access to the health services they need," said Governor Bobby Jindal. "That's why we've made children's access to health insurance a top priority. Through the recent expansion of LaCHIP, we'll make health insurance available to more than 6,000 additional children throughout the state."

LaCHIP provides health coverage for over 118,000 Louisiana children, contributing to the decrease in the rate of uninsurance in Louisiana. According to the recent Louisiana Health Insurance Survey, only 5.4 percent of Louisiana children are currently uninsured, compared to almost 25 percent ten years ago when LaCHIP began.