Baton Rouge β In an effort to emphasize the importance of primary and preventive care in Louisiana, Gov. The proclamation recognizes efforts the Department of Health has made to ensure primary care services for Medicaid clients and increase preventive health screening for children through these programs.
By encouraging citizens to see a doctor for a physical before they get sick, we can lessen the incidence of serious diseases such as cancer or diabetes in Louisiana. CommunityCARE creates a "medical home" for Medicaid clients, linking them to primary care providers who can help manage their health care before medical problems become severe.
The program aims to decrease rates of serious illnesses such as cancer and diabetes in Louisiana by having patients see doctors regularly to monitor their health. The program also aims to cut down on unnecessary emergency room visits. This program provides complete physical exams, dental exams, vision and hearing checkups, immunizations, blood and urine tests, sickle cell anemia tests, health education, eyeglasses, hearing aids and more at no cost to the recipient.
The outcomes of these screening have produced many success stories over the years. One example of the success of the program this year is a 1-year-old child who had a cyst discovered in her throat during a KIDMED screening.
The girl was immediately referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who treated her with a course of antibiotics for 14 days.
