Sen. Cassidy tours Teche Action

US Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy, M.D. visited and toured Teche Action Clinic in Franklin, Tuesday.
Cassidy was met by TAC Executive Officer Dr. Gary Wiltz and was escorted by State Senator Bret Allain.
Cassidy stopped in at TAC as a part of a larger tour of Acadiana, meeting with health care facilities and sugar cane operations across the area.
His visit was compelled by becoming better acquainted with the Franklin facility at TAC coinciding with a $167,000 grant TAC has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address mental health and opioid addictions.
“This clinic is part of making affordable health care for many,” Cassidy said. “So, this is a great opportunity for me to see public policy in action.”
Of the national and state opioid crises, and the awarding of the grant to TAC, Cassidy said. “One thing we have done in Congress is we have made more money available for treatment; whether it is medication, assisted therapy, or inpatient therapy, as well as other measures which may decrease the amount of opioids being abused.”
He added, “I want these folks (TAC) to decide how best to use the money.”
Wiltz said of that, “A lot of the issues that stem the opioid crisis are related to behavioral issues in addiction. So, we are going to be bringing on some additional licensed professionals, some counselors and licensed clinical social workers to deal with the upstream on the front end, dealing with folks with chronic pain and addictive disorders that we can deal with that way.”
“The opioid crisis is pretty complicated,” Cassidy said. “Congress and state legislators have done a good job of decreasing the number of legal prescriptions being given.
“Now, we have to go after the illegal drugs.”
He went on to say that as part of President Donald Trump’s attempt to secure the southern border, legislators are focusing not only on the drugs which come through by means of being smuggled across the border, but also those which come by mail. “So, Congress has tasked the US Postal Service with decreasing the influx of fentanyl and heroin through the US mail system.”
“Lastly,” he said, “we have to go after the cartels themselves. Because, if all we do is secure the southern border—they’ll figure another way to bring it into the country. So, let’s go after the cartels themselves.”
Cassidy further stated he is currently working on a bill which is aimed at crippling the cartels’ drug sales proceeds, and their financing supply.
Wiltz said of Cassidy, “The senator brings a unique perspective as a physician.”
He continued, “We have gotten ourselves into this crisis, and it is going to be up to us to figure a way out of it, and we (TAC) are looking forward to being part of the solution.”
Of the most satisfactory solution to the state’s opioid crisis, Cassidy said, “The most satisfactory state, of course, is that nobody has an issue with addiction. But, we will have to get there.
“St. Paul said, ‘We go from glory to greater glory.’ So, let’s put in our initial programs; so that, if somebody has a problem with addiction, he knows where to seek help. Then, we’ll put in the help they need. Then, we’ll put in the long-term project. And in the meantime, we’ll go after the cartels, so that there are not new people being addicted.
“Now, that is not going to happen like that, (snapped his fingers) but it can happen in steps. So, let’s ‘go from glory to greater glory.’”
Wiltz led Cassidy and Allain on a tour of the campus, including the pharmacy, financial assistance offices, clinical care rooms, and administration building across the street.
Once in the boardroom, Cassidy met with TAC’s administrative staff, and conversed with Wiltz and associates concerning avenues to better streamline care processes, diminish financial instabilities, and possible long and short-term solutions to looming Medicare/Medicaid quagmires brought on by the state’s recent Medicaid overhaul.
All in all, the visit lasted for approximately one hour.