State officials are looking into ways to cut costs in the Louisiana health care industry. Among the ideas being floated to reduce costs: privatizing, merging or even selling LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.

"LSU must transform the way it delivers health care," said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. "The U.S. health care system has been changed over the last decade and the LSU system has not kept pace. I have encouraged LSU to look into all options and determine how to make the system sustainable and more efficient while remaining focused on its core mission."

State Senator Greg Tarver (D - La. Dist. 39) says the state is looking for private investment in LSUHSC in Shreveport. But Tarver says he wants people in Northwest Louisiana to make the decisions that impact our area.

"We want to be able to control our own destiny in Shreveport, Louisiana," Tarver said. "We are not going to let and not going to stand for people from South Louisiana coming to Shreveport and telling us what to do with our business."