By the Numbers

By the Numbers December 2010 / January 2011

by Leslie Turk

By the Numbers December 2010 / January 2011

$300 million
Approximate amount of state funding in 2010 for Louisiana's 10 state-owned, taxpayer funded public hospitals in 64 parishes, in addition to $300 million in federal dollars (which does not include Medicaid and Medicare payments).

$5,031
Per patient cost at interim Charity Hospital in New Orleans in 2009, versus $2,794 at similarly sized teaching hospitals.
Source: State Treasurer John Kennedy/Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group. Kennedy has been arguing for greater efficiencies in the way the state runs its charity hospitals.

90
Days the Obama administration is proposing for BOEM to review environmental and impact plans for offshore drilling permits. The current review time is 30 days. U.S. Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter are objecting to the extension, arguing it will further delay a process that needs to be accelerated.  The Commission staff can comfortably conclude that the decision to green-light the underwhelmingly effective, overwhelmingly expensive Louisiana berms project was flawed.

- Dec. 16 National Oil Spill Commission report calling Gov. Bobby Jindal's controversial berm project a waste of money; the berms captured about 1,000 barrels of oil out of the almost 5 million believed to have spilled. BP spent $220 million to build 10 miles of sand berm and has committed an additional $140 million to complete the project.

1.4 %
La.'s population increase since 2000, the third lowest growth in the U.S. and reason the state will lose one congressional seat (and one of its electoral votes)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau