News
In States Not Expanding Medicaid, Poor Are at Risk for Higher Costs, Fewer Benefits
The Commonwealth Fund
How Much Financial Protection Do Marketplace Plans Provide in States Not Expanding Medicaid?
In Louisiana, 200,000 sign up for Medicaid expansion in first week
Becker's Hospital Review
The state of Louisiana saw 200,000 new Medicaid enrollees during its first week of the program's expanded eligibility, The Advocate reported.
Report: Medicaid expansion would benefit 85,000 Alabamians with mental illness
Al.com
Expanding Medicaid could help 85,000 low-income people in Alabama who are struggling with substance abuse and mental illness, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The case for Medicaid expansion in Alabama
Al.com
By Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers
Over the past several years, arguments for Medicaid expansion in Alabama have been made using sound economic, budgetary and public health rationales.
Governor still hesitant about Medicaid expansion
Decatur Daily, November 2, 2015
On the website Alabamasbest.org, which advocates for Medicaid expansion, there’s a rolling ticker that shows how much federal money the state has left on the table the past two years by refusing to increase enrollment.
As of last week, it was more than $3 billion.
We Mapped the Uninsured. You’ll Notice a Pattern.
The New York Times, October 30, 2015
They tend to live in the South, and they tend to be poor.
State health officer: Expand Medicaid, improve health
Montgomery Advertiser, August 20, 2015
Dr. Don Williamson was direct when asked how to improve Alabama's health.
Marketplace Enrollment Maps
enrollamerica.org , August 3, 2015
Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new county-level enrollment data revealing how many Americans had picked plans on the health insurance marketplaces.
Now That SCOTUS Ok’d Subsidies, It’s All About Medicaid Expansion
Forbes, June 25, 2015
News that the U.S. Supreme Court has once again upheld the Affordable Care Act, ruling that subsidies are valid to purchase private coverage in all states no matter what government exchange an American uses, the focus on future growth will be Medicaid, the expanded program for the poor that is also a key part of the health law.
Alabama could save 210 lives in 2016 by expanding Medicaid, White House study says
Al.com
If Alabama expanded its Medicaid program, it would boost federal spending in the state by $1.24 billion in 2016 and save the lives of 210 people who otherwise would die, according to a study released by the White House Thursday.
Louisiana Legislature OKs potential Medicaid expansion
The Advocate, June 2, 2015
The Louisiana Senate gave final approval Monday to a measure that would allow the next governor to expand Medicaid.
States Find Savings Through Medicaid Expansion
The Pew Charitable Trusts, April 29, 2015
Medicaid expansion has given a budget boost to participating states, mostly by allowing them to use federal money instead of state dollars to care for pregnant women, inmates, and people with mental illness, disabilities, HIV/AIDS, and breast and cervical cancer, according to two new reports.
Alabama Medicaid burden rising more slowly than most states, study shows
Al.com
During Alabama's latest budget crisis, lawmakers often have pointed to out-of-control Medicaid costs as one of the leading culprits.
Uninsured rate falls by half in states that expanded Medicaid
The Hill
The number of people lacking health insurance dropped by half in the 29 states that expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare, far more than states that did not agree to the expansion, according to new data.
New cases of diabetes in Medicaid patients soar in expansion states
Modern Healthcare, March 23, 2015
The number of Medicaid patients diagnosed with diabetes soared in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility to low-income adults last year compared to what happened in states that did not expand their Medicaid programs.
Bentley considers Medicaid expansion
Times Dailey, Feb. 14, 2015
MONTGOMERY — Gov. Robert Bentley and state Health Officer Don Williamson said last week the state is looking at options for expanding Medicaid to the working poor.
How Medicaid for Children Recoups Much of Its Cost in the Long Run
NYTimes.com
When advocates talk about the advantages of government health care, they often talk about a moral obligation to ensure equal access. Or they describe the immediate health and economic rewards of giving people a way to pay for their care.
Hospitals Win In States That Chose To Expand Medicaid
Alabama Public Radio, December 30, 2014
When the Affordable Care Act passed, many people focused on the law's creation of marketplaces to help the uninsured buy coverage, often with the help of federal subsidies.
Ken Hare In Depth: Bentley bends on Medicaid; RSA looks at oversight rules
WSAF, December 30, 2014
The election is over, Gov. Robert Bentley cannot run again in four years, and now he announces that he is open to an expansion of the state's Medicaid program, provided it is done with certain limitations. Is anyone really surprised?
Bentley’s more open approach welcomed
Montgomery Advertiser, December 23, 2014
We're encouraged that Gov. Robert Bentley is softening on providing health insurance coverage to more of Alabama's working poor.
Haslam’s Tennessee Plan would expand health coverage
The Tennessean, December 15, 2014
In a major policy move, Gov. Bill Haslam has announced the new Insure Tennessee plan, a two-year pilot program that would provide health care coverage to tens of thousands of Tennesseans who currently don't have access to health insurance or have limited options.
Gov. Robert Bentley cracks open the door to expand Medicaid and enhance state revenues for budget
al.com, December 11, 2014
Gov. Robert Bentley cracked the door open on the expansion of Medicaid, allowing new lawmakers to speculate the governor was mulling asking the federal government for a block grant to expand the federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
Rethink what it means to have access to quality health care: reader opinion
al.com, November 27, 2014
Coming home. For most of us, it is a return to comfort, familiarity, and, above all, safety.
Who Would Have Health Insurance if Medicaid Expansion Weren’t Optional
The New York Times, November 3, 2014
A new data set suggests that more than three million people would have gained health insurance across 24 states if the Supreme Court had ruled differently.
District, chapter leaders advocate for Medicaid payment increase
AAP News, October 29, 2014
AAP district and chapter leaders agree that continued collaboration and advocacy by pediatricians is critical to extending the Medicaid payment increase that is set to expire at the end of the year.
By telling stories of uninsured, medical students hope Alabama will ‘rethink’ Medicaid coverageA
al.com, September 19, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A group of medical students influenced by the stories they have heard while volunteering at a free medical clinic have focused their concerns into action.
Confederate crusade is closing hospitals in rural America
NJToday.net, September 15, 2014
The cost of the Confederate conservative ideological crusade against the Affordable Care Act is taking a human and economic toll. In states that refused to participate in Medicaid expansion, many rural communities soon find their local emergency rooms shuttered.
Hospitals are big losers in states like Alabama that won’t expand Medicaid, 2 new reports state
al.com, September 3, 2014
Hospitals in Alabama will lose $7 billion in reimbursements from the federal government by electing not to expand Medicaid.
How Arkansas used Obamacare to cut its uninsured rate by 45 percent
Vox, August 7, 2014
Count this as a big Obamacare win for Arkansas: the state drove down its uninsured rate faster than any other, according to new Gallup data. Since the law's open enrollment period, the state's uninsured rate has fallen from 22.5 to 12.4 percent.
That works out to 45 percent fewer uninsured Arkansans.
Arkansas' decline in the uninsured rate was more than double most states. And one of the important steps they took to get there would be absurdly easy for others to replicate.
On tour of area hospitals, Congressman Byrne gets earful on Obamacare, Medicare rates
al.com, Aug. 7, 2014
"The problem the governor and the Legislature face is they don't have money to expand (Medicaid)." -- U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne
Alabama healthcare gap hurts workers
Tribune Interactive Online, Aug. 5, 2014
Irby Ferguson, manager of the Access to Care program at St. Vincent’s Health System, expected a lot to change when subsidies under the Affordable Care Act went into effect earlier this year.
The high cost of refusal
Dothan Eagle, Aug. 5, 2014
There are many low-income, uninsured Alabamians who could benefit from expansion of Medicaid to qualify those earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The federal Affordable Care Act allows states to take this step, and 26 states and the District of Columbia have done so.
Lack of Medicaid expansion hampers economic development in rural Alabama, official said
al.com, July 27, 2014
Alabama's unwillingness to expand Medicaid is adding to the economic distress of the state's rural communities and further impeding their economic development efforts, officials said today.
CEO touts new approach for Alabama Medicaid expansion
Birmingham Business Journal, July 25, 2014
A new report claims Alabama could lose billions of dollars by continuing to refuse the expansion of Medicaid.
Hospitals See Troubles In Red States That Snubbed Obamacare’s Medicaid Deal
Forbes, July 20, 2014
While record numbers of Americans sign up for the larger Medicaid health insurance program for the poor, financial issues are emerging for medical care providers in the two dozen states that didn’t go along with the expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
Alabama Hospitals Taking Hit
InsuranceNewsNet.com, July 20, 2014
Although the number of Alabamians with health insurance has increased, hospital officials said they are still treating the same number of uninsured patients as they were before the Affordable Care Act's implementation.
In States That Didn’t Expand Medicaid, It’s As If Obamacare Doesn’t Even Exist For The Poor
Huffington Post, July 10, 2014
In states without Medicaid expansion, the poor remain uninsured at levels similar to before Obamacare.
Big headlines should accompany every needless death in our state
AL.com; July 7, 2014
News item: A Tennessee couple was arrested for endangerment Saturday after leaving their small child in a car with the windows rolled up. The article states that dozens of children die every year from this form of neglect.
Study Shows Significant Reduction in Uncompensated Care in Expansion States
Alabama Political Reporter, June 27, 2014
A recent study by the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) found that states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, saw a 30 percent decrease in uncompensated care.
It is Time to Expand Medicaid and Quit Playing Politics
The Selma Times Journal, June 23, 2014
For over a year, we have been making the same request to Governor Bentley, and for over a year, our request has fallen on deaf ears: Alabama needs Medicaid Expansion. It’s time to put people over politics and accept the funding.
Alabama Medicaid enrollment goes over 1 million due to awareness, rule changes
al.com, June 17, 2014
Alabama has so far rejected the federal government's proposal to expand Medicaid. Regardless, the Affordable Care Act still had the effect of increasing the size of Alabama's Medicaid rolls.
Alabama hospitals say they’re starting to feel pinch of failure to expand Medicaid The Associated Pr
The Associated Press, June 5, 2014
Alabama's refusal to expand Medicaid through federal health reform this year is hitting local hospitals in their pocketbooks, according to health care leaders and advocates for the poor.
Medicaid Expansion Leads To Fewer High School Dropouts And More College Graduates: Study
The Huffington Post, June 5, 2014
Amid the ongoing debate over 24 states’ refusal to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, a recent report by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that expanding health insurance coverage for low-income children resulted in fewer high school dropouts, higher college attendance rates and a better likelihood of attaining a bachelor's degree.
Blowing off Medicaid’ billboards make statement on Red Mountain Expressway
The Birmingham News, June 4, 2014
Those blowing by in their cars on the Red Mountain Expressway can see a new digital message on a billboard that says something about "Blowing off Medicaid Expansion."
Medicaid campaign supports gap coverage initiatives by bringing forward Utahn perspectives
Desert News, June 3, 2014
Gov. Gary Herbert’s efforts to seek flexibility in crafting a Utah-based solution for Medicaid expansion needs to be encouraged.
Medicaid Expansion Editorial
al.com, May 29, 2014
In most of the primary election campaigns being waged today, derision of Obamacare seems to be the one constant. It's high time for our politicians to move beyond the vitriol and to focus on the realities.
Alabama’s healthcare system losing billions of dollars and falling further behind
www.al.com, May 19, 2014
On Jan. 1, 2014, Alabama lost $3.9 million that could have flowed into the state related to healthcare. On Jan. 2, Alabama lost another $3.9 million.
Opinion - Alabama Medical Students Argue for Expansion of Medicaid
www.al.com, May 7, 2014
In medical school, our professors often show us maps of the U.S. illustrating where diseases strike hardest and where patient outcomes are the worst. Most of the time, Alabama is red, really red. Red is bad. So bad that over 600,000 Alabamians are uninsured and have limited to no access to health care.
Students, veterans eligible under Medicaid expansion; Bentley not budging
WSFA TV, May 1, 2014
Nearly 98,000 Alabamians have now signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
10 Alabama Hospitals Have Closed in the Last 3 Years: Will Yours be Next?
Birmingham News, April 17, 2014
It's a long list with some familiar names: Chilton Medical Center, Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, Hartselle Medical Center, Infirmary West.
Editorial: Look around, governor — There are many examples of states expanding Medicaid their way
Anniston Star Editorial Board, April 17, 2014
Opponents of Gov. Robert Bentley’s ironclad refusal to expand Medicaid in Alabama have tried logic, reasoning, emotional requests and biblical pleas, and nothing has worked. Bentley, like any good ideologue, isn’t budging.
Alabama deserves better.
Nearly 4M mentally ill still lack insurance
USA Today, April 8, 2014
Some might consider Kelly Troyer of South Carolina lucky. She isn't one of them.
Editorial: April Fools’ Day in Alabama — Refusal to expand Medicaid is no joking matter
Anniston Star, April 1, 2014
Gov. Robert Bentley, Alabama’s official top cop against the Obamacare intrusion, reversed course Monday and withdrew his vehement opposition to Medicaid expansion.
HHS deputy secretary: Alabama is passing up $3.9 million every day by refusing Medicaid expansion
al.com, March 28, 2014
In an interview with Alabama Public Radio, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Bill Corrs said Alabama is passing up $3.9 million every day that could go towards providing health insurance by refusing to expand Medicaid in the state.
Dueling sets of data: What matters in Alabama’s debate over Medicaid expansion, the people
The Anniston Star, March 4, 2014, Editorial
Supporters of Medicaid expansion often point to studies by UAB and University of Alabama that show the economic benefits the state would reap if Gov. Robert Bentley would drop his opposition to expansion through the Affordable Care Act.
Opting Out Of Medicaid Expansion: The Health And Financial Impacts
Health Affairs, Jan. 30, 2014, Posted By Sam Dickman, David Himmelstein, Danny McCormick, and Steffie Woolhandler On January 30, 2014
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase access to health insurance by:
Life and Health will Suffer in States Opting out of the Medicaid Expansion
The Society Pages, Feb. 24, 2014
People below the poverty line will be left with no options.
Pro-Medicaid GOP governors well placed for reelection
Politico February 25, 2015
Conservative activists threatened revenge for Republican governors who boosted Obamacare. Now it looks like they were mostly blowing smoke.
Millions Trapped in Health-Law Coverage Gap
Wall Street Journal, Christopher Weaver, Feb. 9, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Ernest Maiden was dumbfounded to learn that he falls through the cracks of the health-care law because in a typical week he earns about $200 from the Happiness and Hair Beauty and Barber Salon.
Like millions of other Americans caught in a mismatch of state and federal rules, the 57-year-old hair stylist doesn't make enough money to qualify for federal subsidies to buy health insurance. If he earned another $1,300 a year, the government would pay the full cost. Instead, coverage would cost about what he earns.
The sad state of the state’s health care: Opinion from historian Wayne Flynt
www.al.com, January 28, 2014
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley described the State of the State. President Obama will discuss the State of the Nation. As a political independent who voted for both of them (is it possible to rescind both votes?), I have earned the right to an ordinary folk's version of both subjects. Since Americans trust used car salesmen more than politicians, I figure I can't lose.
Medicaid Waivers’ Role in Innovation, Coverage Expansion
PEW Stateline, Jan. 27, 2014
When the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 ruled that states could decide for themselves if they would expand Medicaid eligibility, many thought states were left with a yes or no proposition. Simple.
Utah’s GOP Governor Agrees To Expand Medicaid: ‘Doing Nothing Is Not An Option’
Think Progress, Jan. 24, 2014
On Thursday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) became the latest Republican to embrace Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. “Doing nothing … I’ve taken off the table,” said Herbert during a news conference announcing the decision. “Doing nothing is not an option.”
Editorial - Our government is responsible to care and protect its people
www.al.com, Jan. 11, 2014
The first and foremost responsibility of our federal and government is the care and protection of its people.
GOP governors may still go for Medicaid expansion - and cash Read more: http://www.politico.com/sto
Politico, Kyle Cheney and Jason Millman, Jan. 10, 2014
Republicans counting on a year of nonstop Obamacare-bashing may be in for an unwelcome surprise: more red-state governors ditching the political script to take a second look at the law’s huge expansion of Medicaid.
Survey: Most Alabamians don’t understand or like Obamacare—but support Medicaid expansion
al.com, Mike Oliver, Jan. 8, 2014
A majority of Alabamians oppose the Affordable Care Act but nearly two-thirds believe the state should expand Medicaid, according to a new survey that also revealed a distinct lack of knowledge about the federal health reform law.
Considering Medicaid Expansion for Your State? Read This Study.
National Journal, Clara Ritger, Jan. 6, 2014
States that underwent early expansions of their Medicaid programs reduced their uninsured population, but they also pulled some customers off of private plans and onto government insurance rolls, according to a new study.
If he wants to help veterans, Bentley should expand Medicaid
www.al.com, Jan. 6, 2014
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently announced the creation of a commission to study ways in which the state might support its newly returned veterans. His office in Montgomery called this issue “critical,” and noted that veterans’ problems adjusting to their return home are often “long- lasting.”
How is ACA impacting Alabama’s uninsured?
Birmingham Business Journal, Jan. 6, 2013
Nearly 200,000 uninsured Alabamians are eligible for premium tax credits to help them buy coverage on the health insurance marketplace, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
How much are Alabamians sacrificing for Medicaid?
The Birmingham Business Journal, Jan. 3, 2014
Alabama ranks third from last in the amount of funding taxpayers will sacrifice for the Medicaid expansion, according to a report from WalletHub.
Governor Please Consider the People who would Benefit by Expanding Medicaid ...
www.al.com, Dec. 27, 2013
The following is an opinion piece written on behalf of the coalition for a Healthier Escambia County.
State hospitals at risk
Eric Fleischauer, (Florence) Times-Daily, Dec. 22, 2013
Without an expansion of Medicaid, care for uninsured Alabamians will not stay the same, the head of the Huntsville Health System said.
Governor’s refusal to expand medicaid makes no sense
Montgomery Advertiser, Editorial, Dec. 15, 2013
The humanitarian aspect of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act should be its most appealing feature. In our state, more than 300,000 people - mostly the working poor - could gain health care coverage under the expansion allowed under the law. The long-term implications for Alabama in terms of a healthier, more productive population are enormous.
Bentley takes tougher tone on Medicaid expansion under Obamacare
Montgomery Advertiser, Bryan Lyman, Dec. 15, 2013
Gov. Robert Bentley has expressed opposition to Medicaid expansion for more than a year, but in recent weeks, his tone has grown notably harder.
“I can’t think of anything worse right now than to have expanded Medicaid and have all these people on an entitlement program right now and for this entire thing to go under, which, I think, is going to happen,” Bentley said on Nov. 18. “So I think my decision is right. But I’ve always thought it’s right.”
Groups form coalition to promote expansion of health care coverage for Alabama Workers
Coalition News Release, Dec. 11, 2013
A number of organizations have joined together to promote expanded health care access for low-income Alabamians who don’t currently qualify for Medicaid.
What would an Alabama Medicaid Expansion Look Like in 2022?
Birmingham Business Journal, Dec. 6, 2013
Alabama's share of the Medicaid expansion in 2022 would be less than the amount the state would pay to attract private businesses to the state, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commonwealth Fund.
Editorial: Take the Emotion out of it
WSFA TV, Dec. 3, 2013
I've come to the conclusion listening to Governor Bentley throughout the year that his position against Medicaid expansion in Alabama under the Affordable Care Act is based more on emotion and political pretence than logic. It's time to take the emotion and political rancor out of this issue as Alabama is almost out of time to receive the first installment of $375 million dollars in additional federal Medicaid disbursements.
New Policy Brief on Health, Safety and Fiscal Benefits of Maximizing Medicaid Enrollment
Justice Center, The Council of State Governments, and Legal Action Center, Dec. 3, 2013
The Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSG Justice Center) released a new policy brief in partnership with the Legal Action Center today, entitled Medicaid and Financing Health Care for Individuals Involved with the Criminal Justice System. This brief outlines opportunities for states and localities to improve public health and safety outcomes and reduce spending on corrections and health care services by maximizing the appropriate use of Medicaid coverage for people involved with the criminal justice system.
Taking Medicaid money is the best option
Lagniappe, Rob Holbert, Nov. 27, 2013
Even as we are busily taping Tide boxes and toilet paper together, or practicing screaming “War Damn Eagle!” at top volume in preparation for the coming battle of the titans, another heavyweight fight has been underway for several months, but attracting a fraction of the attention of our gridiron showdown.
Gov. Robert Bentley says report that Medicaid expansion would create 30,000 jobs is ‘bogus’
al.com, Mike Cason, Nov. 27, 2013
MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- Gov. Robert Bentley said today he did not believe a study that showed Medicaid expansion would create about 30,000 new jobs in Alabama.
The governor made the comment in response to a question about why he was not being inconsistent in supporting incentives for companies to bring jobs to Alabama but opposing Medicaid expansion.
“Because the studies are all bogus,” Bentley said.
Letter to the Editor: Bentley preventing medical coverage for Alabamians
al.com, Nov. 25, 2013
Governor Bentley is standing in the door barring 300,000 Alabama citizens from receiving health care. The result is that an additional 1,704 in this group will die each year.
Editorial - John Archibald
The Birmingham News, Nov. 24, 2013
Three phrases you'll never hear from the mouth of Gov. Dr. Robert Bentley:
RSA chief David Bronner says opinions on Obama irrelevant to Medicaid expansion, which he supports
al.com, Nov. 21, 2013
Retirement Systems of Alabama CEO David Bronner urged hundreds of lawyers at a conference today to help persuade Gov. Robert Bentley to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Medicaid expansion rejection leaves Alabama’s largest city with “patchwork” safety net under Obamaca
al.com, Mike Oliver, Oct. 17, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama's rejection of Medicaid expansion under Obamacare leaves Birmingham's low-income and uninsured adults with a weak safety net, according to a study out today.
Study: Not expanding Medicaid could hurt hospitals
WSFA TV, Nov. 4, 2013
According to a report published by Fitch, the international credit and bond rating agency, the states that opt not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act could eventually spend more on uncompensated care on their respective uninsured populations.
New Medicaid Study: Expansion would create 30,000 Jobs
WSFA TV, Oct. 10, 2013
Medicaid expansion could lead to tens of thousands of new jobs in Alabama. That's the conclusion reached by the authors of a new study that examined the economic impact of the implementation of that particular section of the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act won’t help these 5 million people
The Washington Post, Oct. 16, 2013
Much of the implementation of President Obama’s signature health-care law is being left up to states, according to a new report published Tuesday by the Brookings Institution’s Center for Effective Public Management. As our colleague Karen Tumulty writes in today’s paper:
The key numbers in Alabama’s Medicaid expansion debate
The Birmingham Business Journal, Oct. 31, 2013
The Birmingham Business Journal looks at the numbers behind a Medicaid expansion.
Article by Allen Perkins
By Allen Perkins, M.D.
On Governor Bentley's desk for signature is Senate Bill 340. This bill will create Regional Care Organizations (RCOs) to facilitate care for Alabamians on Medicaid. After the Governor signs the bill, Mrs. M.'s story will be changed.
Alabama Voices - Thomas Vocino: State expanding Medicaid serves the public best
July 7, 2013, Montgomery Advertiser
The country’s and Alabama’s prosperity are impacted positively by a strong and vibrant private sector. Small and large businesses create jobs and sustain growth in the economy. As a society, we must never lose sight of the contributions the private sector makes to the quality of life nationally and locally.
A big Medicaid gap looms in Obama health care law
RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press, Published: Monday, July 1, 2013 at 5:14 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Nearly 2 in 3 uninsured low-income people who would qualify for subsidized coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law may be out of luck next year because their states have not expanded Medicaid.
Investing in Medicaid will stoke our state’s economy, create jobs (Your view)
Submitted on June 27, 2013 at 7:30 AM, updated June 27, 2013 at 7:38 AM
Dr. Allen Perkins' recent column on al.com said Alabama's future industrial recruitment will suffer if we don't expand Medicaid.
He said companies will prefer to locate in states that expand Medicaid and have more residents who are healthy and insured. I agree, but I don't want your readers to think we'll see the economic development benefits only when some future industrial prospect comes along. Medicaid expansion IS economic development.
FOX6 WBRC-TV EDITORIAL
An editorial from FOX6 WBRC-TV General Manager Lou Kirchen, first aired on Tuesday, June 18
On June 6, Governor Bentley signed a bill that will overhaul the Medicaid system in Alabama. This bill represents a plan that is an alternative to both expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and to accepting the federal revenue that would come with that expansion.
Medicaid expansion critical for the future growth of our state (Your view)
Submitted to al.com in the Letters from our Readers section on June 12, 2013 at 10:31 AM, updated June 12, 2013 at 11:03 AM
In his recent op-ed, Dr. Allen Perkins of the University of South Alabama College of Medicine makes a strong case for moving ahead with the Medicaid expansion included in the new health care law.
The most important numbers regarding Medicaid expansion (Guest column by Allen Perkins)
Mobile Press Register, by Allen Perkins, M.D. on May 28, 2013
A lot of numbers are getting thrown around regarding the optional Medicaid expansion that is found in Obamacare. Expanding Medicaid would bring $1.2 billion in federal money directly into Alabama, some of it going to pay for the care of those who are currently uninsured. That would mean even more money for Alabama's economy because of the multiplier effect. Some 12,000 jobs will be created.