Today, Governor John Bel Edwards released his Healthy Families Agenda, a plan to make Louisiana a healthier state in his second term.

On his first day in office, Gov. Edwards expanded Medicaid. As a result more than 450,000 working Louisianans now have access to care. That access to care has cut our uninsured rate by more than half, saved the state hundreds of millions of dollars, created thousands of jobs, and kept our rural hospitals open. But most importantly, it’s saved lives.

But Gov. Edwards has done more for public health than just expand Medicaid. His administration has used innovative public health approaches to fight Louisiana’s high maternal mortality rate, provide more access to treatment for the most deadly infectious disease in America (Hepatitis C), and lower prescription drug prices.

The Healthy Families Agenda lays out how in his second term, Gov. Edwards will build on those first term successes by:

• Keeping our rural hospitals openClosing the gaps in our mental health system
• Eliminating Hepatitis C in LouisianaReducing maternal mortality by 20%
• Getting every Louisiana birthing facility to participate in the fight to reduce maternal mortality
• Lowering prescription drug costs
• Continuing the fight against opioid addiction
• Drastically reducing the waiting list for home and community-based health services for older adults
• Continuing to break records for the number of children adopted out of foster care

“Louisiana is much better off today than we were four years ago, in part because our people are healthier. My decision to expand Medicaid has cut our uninsured rate by more than half, created thousands of jobs, and most importantly saved lives. But we have more to do. In my second term we can build on our successes, using innovative approaches to keep our rural hospitals open, lower drug costs, reduce maternal mortality, and fight infectious disease. Let’s keep moving Louisiana forward, to a happier and healthier future,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards.