New LA Medicaid weight-loss drug benefit unwise

Louisiana legislators may not have learned their lesson as they try to put taxpayers on the hook for a new Medicaid benefit that may end up causing any or all of wasted money, much higher expenses, and potentially avoidable harm to recipients.

Last year, a line item tucked into the state’s general appropriation bill would have made funding available to give semaglutide, a receptor agonist for human glucagon-like peptide-1 which is the basis for several drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Monjauro, and Rybelus, to state employees that suffered from obesity. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed that.

And wisely so, for the monthly injections would have imposed a tremendous cost that must continue for effectiveness to kick in and stay in. Lifestyle changes, of which Landry has signaled at least indirect support for through his healthy eating initiatives, would just as effective if not even more so for weight loss and shedding of problems related to obesity. It would cost the state little to engage in campaigns urging personal responsibility to eat right and less, and to exercise more.

Transparency should dampen Monroe govt conflict

More transparency will mean fewer fireworks over an obscure adjunct to Monroe’s government that sits on over $20 million.

About three decades ago the Interstate 20 Economic Development District was created as a vehicle to provide for infrastructure needs along the eastern reaches of I-20 in Monroe. It has partial tax increment financing for sales, meaning it receives 40 percent, mostly from Pecanland Mall, of state sales tax collected, which then is used to pay off debt issued and its interest to provide funding for approved projects.

The I-20 EDD, like the Tower-Armand EDD, is somewhat unlike Monroe’s other economic development districts. While the other four are written into state statute, these were grandfathered into law from cooperative endeavor agreements with the state. The others also have a wider range of TIF source options for revenues. This also means their governance is established through bylaws over which the City Council has authority.

Vote for first four amendments, junk last one

Mostly keepers, the May 16 slate of Louisiana constitutional amendments does include one clunker. Let’s see what voters will be asked to vet.

#1 – would allow the Legislature to bypass the State Civil Service Commission in classifying jobs as civil service with protection. Presently, except as delineated in the Constitution, the Commission determines which jobs are unclassified, or those without at-will firing protection (although most, such as college faculty members, have protections equivalent to those in the classified service). Because the Commission is composed of insulated appointees and a classified employee-elected representative, historically its members become inured to backing state employees to the detriment of efficient administration. Elected legislators are the appropriate power center to determine policy of whether a job is necessary and policy-oriented enough to grant greater flexibility to executive branch officials. YES.

#2 – would create a new school district in the new city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish. This is nothing new, emulating what three other cities in the parish have done, of which two now outperform substantially the Parish School System. Further, the way the finances work, on a per-student basis the EBRPSS actually will be better off with the carveout. There’s no reason not to grant autonomy (it will require a majority both among state and parish voters). YES.

Polls edge closer to predicting Fleming-Letlow

It’s true, a month out from party primary elections, it’s uncertain which of three serious Republican candidates will advance to an inevitable runoff. And there’s a polling-based reason for that for which a little historical data and common sense can address partially to give a better idea who’s likely to be part of that duo.

In the last several days, the campaign for Treas. John Fleming released one, and two others have come from other organizations, although there are no details as to who paid for these. Rep. Julia Letlow was named the leader in those, while the Fleming campaign had him on top with incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy running second. The other polls had him running third.

This continues a pattern where campaigns release polls favorable to their candidate, which may be why Cassidy’s camp hasn’t released any recently. None of the most recent trio had him at better than 26 percent, which is abysmal for a sitting senator who by himself already has spent probably at least $10 million on his reelection (as of the end of the year; the most recent numbers through the first quarter of 2026 will be available later this week) and has had surrogate political action committees as well churning out cash on his behalf.