Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) is implementing one.  Understanding the risks of accepting Federal money (no, he’s not reading my blog), he accepted a federal Medicaid funding cut and imposed it on the Louisiana State University’s health care system, choosing to privatize much of it.

The LSU System had operated 10 hospitals around the state and their network of outpatient clinics.  Outsourcing agreements have been worked out for nine of the hospitals and their clinics.

Jindal outsourced much of that.

[T]he first outsourcing deals, rolled out in April and June…private health providers have taken over the services previously run by LSU.

What are Louisianans getting for this?

Shortened emergency room waits and an eliminated prescription backlog in Baton Rouge.  A re-established gynecology clinic in Lake Charles.  The reopening of operating rooms in New Orleans and an orthopedic clinic in Lafayette that were previously shuttered by budget cuts.

And

[T]he numbers of graduate medical education residents have grown in Lafayette, a breast health clinic and a cardiology clinic have been added at LSU’s outpatient clinic site in Lake Charles, and a new psychiatry residency program is being added in Baton Rouge.

And

The administration estimates the state will save more than $100 million this year from the arrangements….

Hmm….