Louisiana hospice providers exhaled a big sigh of relief, as Gov. Bobby Jindal threw out his administration’s plans to cut off Medicaid payments to hospices in February, reports the New York Times. Gov. Jindal had planned to follow in Oklahoma’s footsteps in barring Medicaid reimbursement for hospice services to new recipients, saving the state an estimated $1.1 million in 2013.
But public outcry from citizens and state government officials alike, including a candlelight vigil on the State Capitol steps, forced Gov. Jindal to rethink the bold move, according to the Greater New Orleans Times-Picayune.