Recovering health care in post-Katrina New Orleans

This thesis describes the Louisiana health care system. The literature review is a case study of the New Orleans health care sector, previous to and after Hurricane Katrina. The review examines criticism of the system, particularly criticisms of the public hospital system, the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital reimbursement fund, the low rate of insurance coverage among Louisiana residents and the barriers to health care in New Orleans’ indigent population. The main body of the thesis is a series of journalistic articles. The first article is an overview of the system and the proposed “dollar follow the patient” reform. The second two articles are narratives, the first based on a provider and the second on a patient. The conclusion supports reform of Louisiana’s health care funding and payment system, in order to bring health care coverage closer to a universal level, alleviate the burden of an under-funded hospital system and create a healthier population in the long term