Matt: Baton Rouge, LA

As the CEO of Care South Clinic, Matt is grateful that Louisiana expanded its Medicaid program. More patients having coverage has allowed his clinic to thrive and provide vital services like COVID-19 testing. And expanded Medicaid means that individuals who have been laid off can still access the health care they need.

Matt is the CEO at CareSouth, a clinic providing medical and dental health services to patients at several locations in the Baton Rouge area. Currently, over 60 percent of Care South’s patients are covered by Medicaid. Prior to Medicaid expansion, many of these patients were uninsured. Matt credits the expansion for not only improving the financial stability of their clinic, but also for real-life gains for his organization’s patients.

In just the two years since expansion, the uninsured rate at their clinic has dropped from 30 percent down to 10 percent. Because more of their patients now have insurance, the organization has been able to increase its staff by 40 percent since 2016.

“We’re seeing more people getting care,” Matt said. “But it’s bigger than our bottom line. With more providers, we can touch more patients.” The clinic has seen their screening rates increase significantly and their no-show rates drop dramatically.

“More people having insurance means people are more likely to go to the doctor,” Matt said. And that matters because, as he says, “Health controls everything else you do in life.”

Matt is grateful for the expansion of Medicaid because it has allowed the clinic to make a wider impact in the community. With access to health care, Matt sees people better able to work, take care of their family and thrive.

Special thanks to CareSouth for their partnership.