Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Health leaders discuss major changes to Medicaid, SNAP programs coming soon
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana health officials discussed significant changes to Medicaid and SNAP programs during the annual Louisiana Department of Health shareholder meeting, including new work requirements and restrictions on food purchases.
The department plans to fight rising healthcare costs by modernizing systems to better identify gaps in coverage. Louisiana currently ranks last for overall health in the country.
LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the department’s focus this year is changing the narrative and increasing innovation through reforms to both SNAP and Medicaid programs in the state.
New verification tools for SNAP
Camille Conaway, executive director of Economic Independence, said the state is introducing new tools to help case workers keep payment error rates down to comply with a new threshold set by federal legislation.
“Right now, or historically, when someone says well I make x or y, we had no way to actually verify that that was accurate, apart from them uploading their wage statement or offering some sort of documentation,” Conaway said.
The state must reduce its error rate to below 6% to avoid taking on additional costs.
“We’re changing policy, review cases before they’re authorized, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the state of Louisiana does not have to take on the burden of the cost of that benefit,” Conaway said. “So that is over and above our top priority because of how many people it will impact far beyond the snap program if we fail to get under that 6% rate.”
Medicaid work requirements
Around 1.5 million people use Medicaid in the state. Seth Gold, executive director of the Bureau of Health Services Financing, said changes to funding will bring new challenges.
“The major initiative that we’re really going to take over this next year is going to be the establishment of new work requirements for working-age adults that will hopefully help move individuals from dependence into independence and then furthering our efforts to engage in reducing fraud case and abuse,” Gold said.
Starting January 1, 2027, working-age adults will be required to demonstrate 80 hours of either school, work, training, volunteering, or a combination per month.
Secretary Greenstein said these changes will help set the state up for decades to come.
“When we have a stable budget, and when we’re building for sustainability, this is when it feels right because our investments are going to last for decades, not just for the next year or two,” Greenstein said.
SNAP food restrictions
Changes are coming to SNAP recipients in just a few weeks. A waiver excluding soft drinks, candy, and junk food from being purchased with SNAP dollars goes into effect on February 18.
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Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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