Medicaid
Advocates push for Medicaid expansion in holdout Alabama
Advocates gathered at the Alabama Statehouse Tuesday urging lawmakers to reconsider their long-held reluctance to expand Medicaid, saying the decision is hurting both working families and health care providers. But the push comes at a time there is gathering uncertainty about possible cuts and changes in Washington to Medicaid.
House budget vote marks a key test for Trump’s agenda, with GOP support still unclear
With a final vote fast approaching, GOP leaders were still working to wrangle support from inside the party for a sweeping multitrillion plan to address defense, energy, immigration and tax policy.
Republican proposals to cut Medicaid could be politically fraught
Republicans are proposing deep cuts to Medicaid to finance tax cuts and other priorities. Pushback is coming not only from Democrats, but also from hospitals that rely on revenue from the program.
Why many Republicans think shrinking Medicaid will make it better
Republicans proposals to change the public health insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans could amount to more than $2 trillion of cuts over the next decade.
Biden’s Medicaid director shares lessons learned and concerns for the program’s future
Dan Tsai discusses how he ran Medicaid under Biden, and his fears for how Republicans might try to change the program.
‘Stupidity of politics’: Medicaid expansion effort dies in Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers couldn’t come together to pass a bill that could have expanded Medicaid for thousands of residents.
Why haven’t Kansas and Alabama — among other holdouts — expanded access to Medicaid?
Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care
What would a government shutdown mean for me?
If a shutdown arrives, millions of federal employees will be furloughed and many others — including those working in the military and the Transportation Security Administration — will be forced to work without pay until it ends.
As Gulf South lawmakers fight over Medicaid, new moms weigh in: ‘Safety nets do save lives’
The COVID-19 health emergency could end soon; tens of thousands of new mothers could lose their healthcare coverage unless legislators take action.
Alabama lawmakers roll the dice on a new lottery bill
The constitutional amendment would authorize a state lottery, sports betting, eight full casinos and two smaller gambling operations.
Retiring Children’s Of Alabama CEO Expects Medicaid To Face Budget Pressure Again
CEO Mike Warren said he thought he could fix Medicaid, but he was naive.
Medicare Change a ‘Huge, Significant Thing’ for Alabama
Rural hospitals in Alabama are struggling to make ends meet. Now, experts say Medicare is throwing the state a lifeline.
Jefferson County Owes Medicare and Medicaid More Than $1 Million for Overpayments to Cooper Green Hospital
Jefferson County Commissioners learned during their committee meeting Monday that the county is on the hook for more than $1 million in back payments for Medicare and Medicaid that was overpaid when Cooper Green was a hospital.
As Alabama’s Unemployment Rate Decreases, Medicaid Enrollment Does Not
Alabama’s unemployment rate hit record lows in the past year, falling below 4 percent, but the number of people enrolled in Medicaid hasn’t decreased.
Alabama Has Nation’s Highest Rate of Cervical Cancer Death
Alabama has the highest rate of cervical cancer death in the country. Black women in the state die from the disease at nearly twice the rate of white women. That is according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch, an international nonprofit.
Alabama Seeks Comment on Plans to Add Medicaid Work Requirement
Alabama wants to require some Medicaid recipients to work if they want healthcare coverage. The public has until Thursday to comment on the plan.
An Alternative to Delivering Babies at the Hospital
Alabama has the second-highest infant mortality rate in the nation. And more rural hospitals are closing. Now some physicians and nonprofits say birth centers are a way to provide cheaper and safer prenatal care and delivery.
Make Medicaid Recipients Work? Speakers at Public Hearing Say No
Governor Kay Ivey and other state leaders want Alabama to join a handful of states that require some able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work or go to school. But when the Alabama Medicaid Agency held a hearing on the plan Tuesday, the crowd strongly disagreed.
Rural Hospitals Struggle, but Wilcox County’s Could Survive
Most rural hospitals in Alabama are operating at a financial loss. Since 2010, a half-dozen have closed, one of the highest closure rates in the nation. But as it turns out, a tiny hospital in the state's poorest county could buck the trend.
Medicaid Cuts Could Hit Alabama Seniors Hard
The U.S. Senate has delayed a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. As of now, the proposed new bill would result in deep cuts to Medicaid. But a recent report says Alabama is one of seven states where rural seniors rely more on Medicaid for their health care than they do in most other places.
Bills on Prisons, the Budget, and Driver’s License Offices Move Ahead
It was a busy week in Montgomery. The Senate passed a bill on driver’s license offices, and a prisons bill. The House debated church daycare licensing. And House representatives passed a general fund budget that level funded most agencies except one: Medicaid. It got a small increase, though there’s still concern among lawmakers, and some […]
Provider Withdrawals Spark Uncertainty About Alabama’s Medicaid Overhaul
Alabama’s effort to transform its Medicaid system took a hit last month as several major providers decided to withdraw from the effort. More than a million people in the state depend on Medicaid for healthcare. The pull out is adding uncertainty to what’s already been a troubled process.
A Birmingham/NASA Connection and Amendment 11
Alabama has a long history with space exploration thanks to the Marshal Space Flight Center and other NASA facilities in Huntsville. But Birmingham is taking a small step toward that space industry through a project at UAB. We hear about it along with Amendment 11, a ballot proposal economic development leaders want to see passed, in this week’s Magic City Marketplace
Special Session Ends with No Lottery and 2-year Fix for Medicaid
Alabama lawmakers are home again after wrapping up a special session on Wednesday. It’s a special session that began with Governor Robert Bentley wanting legislators to set up a lottery with the proceeds benefiting Medicaid and other general fund agencies. It ended with two lottery proposals dead and lawmakers using money from the BP oil spill settlement to fill financial gaps. To help us review the special session is Don Dailey. He’s host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Medicaid Cuts Sending Shock Waves Through Alabama Medical Community
The first round of cuts to the state’s Medicaid program went into effect on August 1. Officials did away with the “primary care bump,” a payment incentive given to primary care providers in an effort to encourage them to accept Medicaid patients. The cuts are already sending shock waves through Alabama’s medical community, especially in […]
Governor Announces Special Session on Lottery
Governor Robert Bentley says he will call a special session in order for lawmakers to pass a measure that would allow residents to vote on setting up a state lottery. In a video released by the governor’s office Wednesday, Bentley says money from a lottery would fund “essential state services” for children, the elderly, the […]
Birmingham Job Market Near Peak Employment
There's good news regarding the Birmingham job market. Since 2011, the city has added more than 30,000 jobs, just shy of the 45,000 needed for peak employment.
Small Banks Continue Move to Birmingham
Birmingham’s banking sector has seen smaller banks entering the market hoping to latch onto growth in the state’s biggest metro area. So far in 2016, that trend is not slowing. We start there in this week’s Magic City Marketplace. The Birmingham Business Journal's Ty West also explains how the healthcare community is reacting to a General Fund budget Alabama's Medicaid commissioner says is below what's needed to maintain services.
Lawmakers Pass Budget, Ask Questions Later
Lawmakers approve a General Fund budget that left an $85 million hole in the state’s Medicaid program and the head of the Alabama GOP feels compelled to defend the party. The latest from Kyle Whitmire, political columnist for The Birmingham News and AL.com.
Hospitals see Changes in Alabama’s Certificate of Need Process
If you don't work in the healthcare industry, you might not be familiar with Alabama's Certificate of Need process. It's bureaucratic, often with mounds of paperwork and legal fees, but it determines what healthcare facilities get built in the state. And in some cases, which ones are blocked. We hear about the process and some changes in this week's Magic City Marketplace.
What the Bentley Scandal Means for Economic Development
The scandal surrounding Governor Robert Bentley’s alleged affair with a former top advisor has grabbed attention from CNN to the New York Times to the Washington Post. With that national media attention, some Bentley opponents in the legislature have suggested his troubles have hurt the state’s economic development efforts. We explore that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
This Week in the Legislature: Bentley Impeachment Articles, Medicaid and More
The scandal surrounding Governor Robert Bentley took a new turn this week when a legislator filed articles of impeachment against the governor. Bentley’s been under fire since allegations of an affair with his former chief advisor surfaced last month. But that’s not all happening in Montgomery. As the 2016 legislative session moves into its final days, Don Dailey of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television say lawmakers have a lot on their plates. Dailey’s the host , and he tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley what’s next for the legislature and the embattled governor.
