Medicaid program on skids, Louisiana governor says

Arguing that "doing nothing is not an option," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has proposed restructuring Louisiana's healthcare program for the poor into a private insurance model that relies on managed-care principles to control costs and improve health outcomes. "Our healthcare system today is not working to help the very people it's designed to serve," Jindal said at a press briefing. Jindal said change is needed because the state's Medicaid progran is on an unsustainable financial path. Whereas the program consumed about 8.5% of the general fund budget in 2006, it is projected to take up 21% by 2011.