Louisiana
Senate’s proposed changes to the One, Big Beautiful Bill alarm Louisiana hospitals
WASHINGTON – Representatives of Louisiana’s largest hospitals converged Tuesday on Capitol Hill after a Senate committee released its recommendations to squeeze more spending cuts out of Medicaid than the House did in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Louisiana’s hospitals are still evaluating the suggested Medicaid cuts, but a first read of the 549-page bill released Monday night is not optimistic, said Paul A. Salles, president and chief executive officer of the Louisiana Hospital Association.
“Unlike the House bill, which takes a more balanced approach to controlling Medicaid spending, the new proposal from the Senate Finance Committee includes devastating reductions that could jeopardize rural access, medical education, and essential services such as maternity care, children’s services, behavioral health, and access to specialty care for patients across Louisiana,” Salles said Tuesday.
The legislation, which includes most of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda, cleared the House by a single vote. It would cut spending over the next 10 years by $1.6 trillion, mostly from Medicaid reductions, but add $2.4 trillion to the national debt, mostly from tax breaks. An estimated 10 million people would no longer be able to enroll in the state-federal program that pays for healthcare services for low-income Americans, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Senators promised significant changes to the House-passed bill.
Senate Finance Committee draft of House-passed budget bill seeks further reductions in Medicaid spending.
Their suggestions go much further on Medicaid than the House by cracking down on strategies states have used to raise more money for their share of Medicaid, which brings in more federal “match” dollars. That would have the effect of transferring the costs from taxpayers around the country to just those in a state.
Officials from Louisiana’s largest health systems gave U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy an earful Tuesday morning, both Cassidy and hospital administrators in attendance acknowledged.
“I’m very much conscious of the impact that would have on our providers back home, but that’s the setting in which this is occurring,” Cassidy said after meeting with the Louisiana healthcare officials. The Baton Rouge Republican is a member of the Senate Finance Committee and chair of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions committee.
“States have gotten incredibly greedy about pulling down money from the federal taxpayer as governors and legislatures have decided to spend their own dollars on things besides Medicaid,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy said the the tax breaks in the bill will energize the U.S. economy and Louisiana workers.
Cassidy and the hospital executives note that the bill as released serves as a base for negotiations and is a long way from the shape it’ll be in when the legislation heads to the floor for Senate passage.
But the language now has worried hospitals in rural areas of the state, whose patients are mostly on Medicaid, said Jeff Reynolds, executive director for the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition.
“Right now, the way the bill reads,” Reynolds said, “all my member hospitals would have to see what programs they could reduce and what layoffs they’d have to order to stabilize” their finances.
In particular, wording was changed to require “state directed payments” for Medicaid programs to equal the rate paid for Medicare, which is the federal healthcare program for the elderly. The rules now allow the upper limit of those payments to be calculated from the average commercial rate for hospitals and nursing facilities.
For Louisiana, the rural hospitals are set to receive $245 million in the state’s budget for the fiscal year — the money coming primarily from the “state directed payments” the bill targets — to help offset providing healthcare services that cost more than the amount Medicaid covers.
If the Senate’s proposed legislation becomes law, equalizing those payments with the Medicare rate would immediately drop the amount the state receives to $211 million. Then the federal government would start withholding 10% annually until the calculated rate equals the Medicare rate.
Eventually, payments would drop to about $128 million annually, Reynolds said. State legislators would have to cover the difference — or they could cut Medicaid services.
“Senate Republicans are actively looking at ways to support rural hospitals,” Cassidy said. “As a doctor who worked in the charity hospital system, seeing referrals from rural parishes, I understand the importance of these hospitals and will work to maintain them in Louisiana and elsewhere.”
Additionally, the Senate Finance Committee basically reduced the amount a state can tax hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers from 6% to 3.5%. Louisiana and most other states use the taxes to offset the portion they owe for services rendered, which leads the federal government picking more of the costs.
Nobody knows for sure how much this provision would cost the state treasury, but lowering those percentages would shift the burden of raising the state’s match to the state’s taxpayers.
“Frankly, states have backed out their commitment to the Medicaid program and use provider taxes to replace the state commitment with federal taxpayer dollars. When we say federal taxpayer dollars, that’s you and me,” Cassidy said.
Less in the regulatory weeds is the proposed change likely to attract the most attention: Able-bodied adults with children over the age of 14 years are going to have to work or volunteer work at least 80 hours a month to qualify for the health insurance program.
The House’s work requirement was only for childless adults. In the House version, the Congressional Budget Office estimated about five million beneficiaries would lose their Medicaid – mostly from being unable to keep up with the paperwork and confusion over the qualifications. Those estimates likely would grow as the numbers required to work increases dramatically in the Senate version.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, has repeatedly asked senators to take a light hand in the changes they make, pointing out that House leadership crafted the bill’s provisions to win over GOP reps who had opposed the legislation. The measure passed the House in May by a single vote.
Johnson’s staff on Tuesday said the speaker wasn’t ready to comment on the Senate’s ideas for changes.
Senate leadership hopes to get a vote on the bill next week and begin negotiations with the House on final language and deliver to Trump by July 4th.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — For the fifth consecutive year, the Louisiana Children’s Museum hosted its annual environmental festival, Mud Fest, on Saturday, March 28.
From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., parents and their little ones had the opportunity to have fun in the sun and enjoy the “highlight” of the museum’s spring season.
This event was inspired by the iconic New Orleans festival culture which includes good food, live music and a nice, high-energy atmosphere. Mud Fest is tailored for the “youngest environmental stewards” to have fun and make all the mess they want with mud.
Due to the Crescent City being surrounded by wetland habitats, we interact with water daily in both our rural and urban communities.
The festival generates positive associations with our region and also builds critical thinking skills for future educators, engineers, fishermen and farmers. According to LCM, engaging with nature, water and plants “builds a child’s confidence and fosters a lifelong connection to the Earth.”
“As the Louisiana Children’s Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary, events like Mud Fest reflect our long-standing commitment to hands-on learning that sparks curiosity and connects children to the world around them,” LCM CEO Tifferney White said.
This year, Mud Fest had performances from young musicians of the School of Rock, the Louisiana Sunspots and more. There were also a storytelling stage and various family-friendly activities for visitors to engage in.
Mud Fest partnered with Pontchartrain Conservancy, STEM NOL, Whimscapes and Sugar Roots to put on the event.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
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Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship.
The 40-year-old Young And Beautiful hitmaker (born Elizabeth Grant) took to her Instagram to post a gallery celebrating the swamp guide’s 51st birthday.
The couple looked just as in love as ever following their wedding in September 2024.
Del Rey shared several recent videos from their modest life together including a cute selfie of the couple by the ocean while she let her natural beauty show by going make-up free.
She also posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot.
Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view.
Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship as she shared a tribute to him on his 51st birthday
Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket.
Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life in her new video.
Del Rey’s Insta Stories video opened with footage from the 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Snow-White, though it focused on a section starring the character Koko the Clown as he’s turned into a ghost.
Then the video abruptly cut to shaky handheld footage of Del Rey dancing with an ecstatic smile plastered on her face.
The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10.
The happy couple even stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer.
The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024.
In August, Del Rey revealed how she fell for her husband, a Louisiana bayou tour guide who spends his days surrounded by alligators.
Join the debate
What do you think Lana Del Rey’s choice to marry a swamp guide says about fame and real love?
She posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot
Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view
Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket
Del Rey also posted a video of the cover of their wedding album
‘Like many people who work with large, dangerous beasts, Jeremy has a calm, strong presence,’ Del Rey told W magazine.
‘When we met, I realized pretty immediately that I loved him, but that it might get difficult because of what I was bringing to the table,’ she continued.
Del Rey added that Dufrene reassured her from the start: ‘I work with alligators — I have tough skin.’
And true to his word, he listened through all the drama: ‘All the things that made me upset — and there were so many! — he would just listen and say, “You be you — and I’ll just love you more.”’
Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life and her new video
The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10
The happy couple stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer
The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024
Tying the knot in 2024 didn’t make the spotlight any gentler.
Del Rey recalled the intense scrutiny they faced, with drones reportedly hovering over their home to snap photos of their wedding and early days as newlyweds.
‘If I was him, I would have been nervous — my emotions were more overwhelming than usual, and my usual emotions can be quite overwhelming!’ she said with a laugh. ‘But Jeremy was fine. He told me, “Don’t worry about me.”’
And when it comes to music inspired by love, fans have already heard a peek. ‘Stars Fell on Alabama. I open my show with that song — that’s it, so far,’ she revealed.
‘Jeremy is the most impactful person in my life. He’s quiet in public, but around me he talks all the time.’
Louisiana
Meta orders 10 gas-fired power plants for its Hyperion AI campus in rural Louisiana—more than triple the initial plans | Fortune
Meta will pay for a total of 10 gas-fired power plants—enough to power more than 5 million homes—to electrify its rapidly expanding plans for its massive AI data center complex in northeastern Louisiana, dubbed Hyperion.
Meta’s agreement with New Orleans–based Entergy, announced March 27, is to build and finance seven new power plants in Louisiana. That comes on top of plans approved last year to build three gas power plants for the sprawling AI hub. The 10 power plants with 7.5 gigawatts of capacity would represent a more than 30% increase to Louisiana’s entire grid capacity, not even counting up to 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, including battery storage, that Meta also agreed to help fund.
Meta initially announced plans for a $10 billion investment in December 2024 for a 2,250-acre data center campus in northeastern Louisiana in rural Richland Parish. But Meta recently, and quietly, acquired an additional 1,400 acres, as Fortune reported in February. In October 2025, Meta entered a joint venture with funds managed by Blue Owl Capital to finance, build, and operate the Hyperion campus with up to $27 billion in total development costs, seemingly ensuring the mega-campus will serve as a long-term, multiphase AI hub.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said Hyperion would cover a “significant part of the footprint of Manhattan.”
“Our Richland Parish data center serves as a symbol of the ambition and scale of next-generation AI infrastructure,” said Rachel Peterson, Meta vice president for data centers, in a statement. “We are building foundations for the future of AI innovation right here in the United States. We’ve been working closely with Entergy since early on-site planning to ensure our power needs are met and, importantly, so that Entergy’s other consumers aren’t paying our costs.”
The Louisiana Public Service Commission will still need to approve the projects. The previous three power plants received regulatory authorization last year.
Entergy’s stock jumped 7% on March 27, lifting its market cap to a new record high of about $50 billion. The stock has risen almost 125% in two years.
Entergy is emphasizing that Meta is paying for the projects, rather than shifting the costs to other ratepayers. Entergy argues that the deals will save Louisiana taxpayers billions of dollars over several years.
The 10 power plants are estimated to cost nearly $11 billion. Critics contend ratepayers could be stuck with the bill after 15 years, which is the length of the contractual terms, if Meta no longer requires so much power after that span.
“This agreement reflects what’s possible when strong partners align around long-term growth and value,” said Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, in a statement. “Working with our customers, regulators, and state leaders, we are making targeted investments that strengthen reliability, support economic development, and deliver meaningful benefits to customers—all while keeping energy rates affordable.”
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