Must-see TV: CNBC’s documentary series American Greed is featuring former New Orleans Mayor and now federal inmate Ray Nagin on its season premiere episode, scheduled to run at 9 p.m. Thursday. A synopsis of the episode, titled Ray Nagin: New Orleans Shakedown, says the series will explore how Nagin “exploited the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina to pocket bribes and live large.” Nagin, who served two terms in office, was convicted in February 2014 on 20 counts of bribery, fraud and money laundering, tied to a kickback scheme involving city contractors. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Last year, he sought to have his conviction overturned. Nagin lost his appeal in January.
High marks: UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Louisiana has awarded more than $3.4 million in bonuses to 249 physician practices in the state for improving care for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s Medicaid plans, the company announced in a news release. Those physicians who received the bonuses scored high marks in key quality categories such as preventative health screenings, diabetic screenings and eye exams. “Thousands of UnitedHealthcare Medicaid plan participants statewide receive quality, compassionate care from hundreds of physicians who deliver more personalized and better connected care,” the release says. UnitedHealthcare operates as a managed care organization under the Bayou Health Medicaid program administered by the state Department of Health and Hospitals, and serves more than 290,000 Medicaid enrollees.
Improved system: Cox Communications customers in Baton Rouge, Acadiana and New Orleans are now able to purchase the new, improved version of Contour, Cox’s flagship video service that now includes a user interface, DVR recording of six shows at once and voice-activated remote. The New Contour uses Comcast’s X1 Entertainment System and adds a cloud-based interface available on a new mobile app, according to a news release. “After extensive testing of the platform, we are confident that the new technology will take Contour to the next level, evolving the experience across multiple screens and devices inside the home,” says Anthony Pope, senior vice president and region manager of Cox’s Southeast region. Packages with Contour and Internet range from $90 to $120 a month for the first year of a two-year contract before jumping up to between $150 and $200, according to Cox’s website.
