Limited access to care puts Louisianans at increased risk of later stage diagnoses and worse cancer outcomes overall. That’s why we work with our partners to make accessing care easier for every patient in Louisiana — especially for Black and rural residents, who disproportionately face the greatest barriers to care.

Tackling Barriers

In addition to sometimes staggering costs, many Louisianans lack the social support, insurance, and transportation to adequately access the care they need. We deploy solutions in high-need parishes throughout the state to expand access to screening and early detection, with a special focus on communities that have faced the worst health outcomes.

Education & Health Literacy

Navigating the health system is difficult enough — but it’s nearly impossible when one isn’t sure why screenings are important, where to go, or what to expect if they can get themselves to an appointment.

We train community health workers (CHWs) to help facilitate access to essential health services. CHWs provide culturally competent education and support to historically underserved populations, help address the many non-clinical factors that influence a person’s health, and ultimately connect patients to screening resources.

TACL is also developing a statewide resource directory aimed at expanding access to colonoscopies. Using data from Medicaid claims, the Louisiana Tumor Registry, and our partner health systems, we’re identifying where gaps exist and compiling a directory to make scheduling and accessing colonoscopies easier for residents served by Medicaid.

Financial Access

Expanding Medicaid in Louisiana gave access to preventative healthcare to more residents. Through coordinated efforts with our partners in 2022, we saw Medicaid extend screening coverage to Cologuard (FIT DNA). Medicaid now covers all approved screening tests for colorectal cancer, bringing access to even more residents.

Since then, approximately 5,000 Cologuard kits have been provided by Louisiana Medicaid between March and December 2022 alone. We also facilitated a pilot between Teche Action Clinic and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to distribute 100 free Cologuard kits to those in need.

Learn more about how we collaborate with health plans to identify and implement policy changes that make it easier for individuals to access screenings and care in our state.

Transportation

Distance is one of the biggest barriers to care, particularly for rural and low-income Louisiana residents. So at the end of 2022, we worked with our partners to pilot a transportation program that helps patients attend their appointments.

Through funding provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, this program removes urgent transportation barriers and helps meet the health needs for low-income, uninsured or underinsured, and at-risk individuals and families. As of April 2023, we provided 520 rides to a total of 29 individual riders.

We also work with Mary Bird Perkins to deploy mobile screening units. Because these resources are often limited, we work together to identify high-need areas and promote upcoming health events specifically among target communities.

Make Care Easier to Access

Your gift can help us continue reducing barriers to care and improve the health of Louisianans.

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