Health Department could lose up to $700M

Health Department could lose up to $700M

Health spending: Lawmakers on Tuesday attempted to parse what a $100 million legislative cut to the state Health Department would mean for its programs. The department could in fact lose as much as $700 million, due to federal matches of state dollars, James Finn reports.

Cyberattack: Hackers have accessed thousands of Louisiana driver's license numbers after the Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles was targeted by a cyberattack Friday, Finn reports. The attack shows how sophisticated digital criminals have become.

Death row: Will Gov. John Bel Edwards let 51 death row prisoners live? Tyler Bridges explores what the governor is likely to do after last week's historic clemency request, based on conversations with people close to him. John Simerman also shares how the clemency process works.

Numbers to Know

Lawmakers this year cut $100M in Louisiana Health Department funding

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The cut could actually translate to as much as $700M lost

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Included: a $31M hit to the department's Community Behaviorial Health Services program

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A $31M loss to an uncompensated health care reimbursement fund, and

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A $29M hit to the agency's Nursing Home Rebase program, among other cuts

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Source: Louisiana Department of Health, Louisiana Legislature