Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2011-11-23

Duration: 00:56:31

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Entitlement spending | Health Care | MEDICAID | MEDICARE | SENIOR CITIZENS | CASSIDY, BILL | Whitfield, Rani G. | Greenstein, Bruce

Contributors:

• Courtney, Beth Host
• Sanford, Shauna Host
• Godoy, Al Producer
• Gautreaux, Kevin Producer
• George, Jeanne Interviewee
• Hatfield, Brenda Interviewee
• Hood, David Interviewee
• LaRock, Paul Speaker
• Hatfield, Charles Speaker
• O'Brien, Tom Speaker
• Bowman, Eugene Speaker
• Bankston, Dale Speaker
• Kennedy, Eileen Speaker
• Asley, Bruce Speaker
• Cassidy, Bill Panelist
• Certner, David Panelist
• Whitfield, Rani Panelist
• Greenstein, Bruce Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from November 23, 2011, features Shauna Sanford leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on the possible cuts to entitlement programs and the impact on Louisiana’s senior citizens. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Dr. Jeanne George, a Medicare recipient; Brenda Hatfield, the president of AARP Louisiana; and David Hood, the senior health care policy analyst with the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR). A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Congressman Bill Cassidy of Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District; David Certner, the legislative counsel and policy director for AARP; Dr. Rani Whitfield, a family physician in Baton Rouge; and Secretary Bruce Greenstein of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. They discuss: the impact of possible cuts to the Medicaid and Medicare programs; reducing the high cost of health care; the attempts to move Medicare patients to the private sector through the Medicare Advantage plans; the possibility of primary care physicians no longer accepting Medicare patients due to low reimbursement rates; the medical benefits for veterans; and their concerns about the Congressional Super Committee on Deficit Reduction. Hosts: Beth Courtney and Shauna Sanford