Central City News

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News – Baton Rouge  Registration is continuing for the 3rd Annual Louisiana Health Freedom Day, which is planned for Friday, April 19 at Revolution Square, 9500 Blackwater Road in Central.  Renowned physician Dr. Peter McCullough, who led the fight for early treatment of Covid-19, will be the keynote speaker […]

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News – Baton Rouge Soon after March 2020 when Gov. John Bel Edwards began his attack on the Constitution with his illegal orders to close churches and businesses except for those he deemed “essential,” compliance was almost universal. Churches closed, “non-essential” businesses closed, people wore masks, and the world […]

Nestled in the community of Central, The Claiborne at Shoe Creek is brimming with life and activity, providing maintenance-free, worry-free living for seniors.  The recent arrival of Derrick Tolliver as Executive Director signals a new chapter of leadership dedicated to excellence and innovation.  This is complemented by the much-anticipated return of culinary wizard Chef Buddy […]

Faced with opposition from State Treasurer John Fleming, M.D., members of the Louisiana Senate, the State Medical Society and other physician groups, and its own voting members, Blue Cross has announced it is withdrawing a reorganization plan underway since last year. Just a few days ago, many in politics thought the plan was unstoppable. Then suddenly it crashed […]

Gail Koziara Boudreaux serves as CEO of Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), the company that proposes to buy the book of business currently owned by Blue Cross of Louisiana. Ms. Boudreaux, a native of Chicopee, MA, is one of the highest paid CEO’s in the health insurance business.  Her compensation for 2022 was $20.9 million according […]

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News – Baton Rouge In August 2023, Baton Rouge attorney Henry “Tut” Kinney filed suit to stop the proposed sale of Blue Cross of Louisiana to Elevance, the nation’s largest health insurer. On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, Kinney deposed Blue Cross CEO Dr. Steve Udvarhelyi and Tim Barfield, the […]

STATEMENT  BY LOUISIANA TREASURER JOHN FLEMING, M.D. Ronald Reagan Luncheon Thursday, February 8, 2024 The Sale of Blue Cross I come before you today as your new State Treasurer but perhaps more importantly as a practicing physician who has spent a lifetime as a family doctor in the City of Minden, Louisiana. Like thousands of […]

In a strongly worded letter to Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, Attorney General Liz Murrill outlined grave concerns about the proposed Blue Cross reorganization plan. Her letter was issued on Mardi Gras day, Feb. 13, 2024.  Later that day, Blue Cross notified Temple they were withdrawing their proposal. Here are excerpts from the Attorney General’s […]

The proposed sale of 100-year-old, member-owned Blue Cross/Blue Shield system in Louisiana is bad for the members and bad for the state.  The basic plan is to sell this institution, which is owned and managed by its members and serves almost 80 percent of the health insureds in Louisiana, to a for-profit insurer, Elevance, formerly […]

 Local small business owners met at the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish last week to their continue their attacks against a plan by the Board of Directors of Blue Cross of Louisiana to sell the company to a for-profit out-of-state insurance giant, Elevance. But just hours before the meeting, Blue Cross announced […]