Hospital cost data shows wide range in prices charged to consumers
In New Orleans area, treatment of heart failure without complications ranges from almost $9,000 to more than $22,000. Federal regulators released a huge swath of hospital pricing data Wednesday as...
View ArticleJefferson Parish water, sewerage rate hikes off table, officials say before...
Most Jefferson Parish Council members said they would not support raising water and sewerage rates if the failure of tax propositions for those services leads to a possible $20-million-plus deficit in...
View ArticleDavid Vitter, other Republicans block confirmation vote on EPA nominee
WASHINGTON -- Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., didn't show up Thursday (May 9) for a scheduled confirmation vote on Environmental...
View ArticleFEMA will revise flood maps to credit local levees, Louisiana officials say
WASHINGTON -- The head of the federal flood insurance program is promising to redo flood-risk maps to take locally built levees into consideration, according to Louisiana officials who met Thursday...
View ArticleWest Jefferson Medical Center's future topic of town hall meeting next week
West Jefferson Medical Center's future and proposed legislation that would allow the hospital to be leased without a public vote are topics of a community meeting next week. The West Jefferson Civic...
View ArticleLouisiana House members come together in support of budget compromise
Louisiana House members came together Thursday to pledge their support for a compromise budget proposal that would trim some tax credits and rely heavily on a tax amnesty program to strip $525 million...
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Mandeville City Council defers action on plan to bring boutique hotel to...
Two city-owned lots near the Mandeville lakefront that are at the center of a controversial public land deal have been targeted for purchase by a developer who would build a boutique hotel on the...
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Port of South Louisiana director prepares to cede post to port attorney
The Board of Commissioners for the Port of South Louisiana has chosen a new executive director in anticipation of the retirement of Joel Chaisson, who has occupied the post since 2005. Paul Aucoin,...
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On the Hill: Does GOP bill help or harm workers?
Is it worker flexibility, or cut your pay bill? Here's another bill that Republicans and Democrats read and see totally different impacts. It's the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, which...
View ArticleHealth clinics urge Louisiana lawmakers to expand Medicaid program
Betty McCree of New Orleans made an appointment at her neighborhood health clinic five years ago, thinking at 60 she should get a mammogram just as a precaution. To her surprise, the test ended up...
View Article3 appointed to steamship pilots board
Gov. Bobby Jindal has appointed Robert Heitmeier of Metairie, Lee Jackson of Westwego and Louis Wattigney Jr. of Belle Chasse to the board of the New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots for the...
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Waters vows action to avert 'unaffordable' premium hikes blamed on flood...
WASHINGTON -- The co-author of legislation that Louisiana officials say is leading to significant hikes in federal flood insurance premiums promised Saturday to work with congressional colleagues and...
View ArticleLSU hospitals could need to pay about $42 million as employees are laid off
The state is working to privatize five LSU hospitals by end of June. When the LSU health system turns over state public hospitals to various private operators this summer, the employees will be owed...
View ArticleMeeting on Jefferson Parish hospitals' proposal, Kenner budget hearings and...
A legislative proposal to let the Jefferson Parish Council lease the parish's public hospitals without a public referendum will be discussed at a Metairie public meeting set to start at 7 p.m A...
View ArticleManhattan Boulevard corridor could benefit from special district, Jefferson...
The Jefferson Parish Council will consider re-establishing a special taxing district for Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey to pay for infrastructure improvements. The measure, sponsored by Councilman Mark...
View ArticleFederal proposal for cutting safety-net money supports Louisiana decision to...
Small cuts for Louisiana mean care for uninsured will not be affected. A top Louisiana health agency official on Monday said a proposed federal rule cutting the money that funds the state's safety-net...
View ArticleNew Orleans riverfront projects could be financed with borrowed money
A proposed dramatic reworking of the New Orleans riverfront moved a step closer to reality Monday as a Louisiana House committee advanced a bill that would let public supporters borrow money for the...
View ArticleJefferson Parish officials face skepticism about potential lease of parish...
Jefferson Parish's two public hospitals could not negotiate a competitive 30-year lease of the facilities if the contract required voter approval, hospital officials told a skeptical crowd Monday...
View ArticleBlackwater Midstream plans to double expansion at Westwego terminal
A company executive told the Westwego City Council of a plan to increase chemical storage capacity by 12 million gallons. Blackwater Midstream LLC's plans to expand the chemical storage capacity at...
View ArticleLandrieu amendment to delay flood insurance premium hikes stalled by...
A Pennsylvania Republican on Tuesday blocked a Senate vote on an amendment to delay new federal flood insurance rules that are likely to result in substantial premium increases. Sen. Mary Landrieu,...
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