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[Alabama Arise]
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<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Alabama Medicaid is safe – for now. State lawmakers wrapped up their special session last week with a sigh of relief after approving a one-time solution to stop deep Medicaid cuts. The Legislature agreed to use BP oil spill settlement money to address Medicaid’s $85 million shortfall for 2017 and to give the program another $105 million in 2018.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">HB 36, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, will reverse the 30 percent Medicaid payment cuts to pediatricians and other primary care doctors that had begun in August. The bill will allow Alabama to move forward with <a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/publications-topmenu-32/fact-sheets-topmenu-36/health-topmenu-57/3246-6-things-to-know-about-alabama-s-medicaid-reforms" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">the Medicaid regional care organization (RCO) reforms that will emphasize preventive care</a> in an effort to save the state money and keep patients healthier. The measure also will prevent Medicaid from having to cut outpatient dialysis, prescription drugs and other services next year.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The House on Sept. 7 voted 87-9 to approve the conference committee’s version of the bill. Later that day, the Senate passed it 22-8. <a href="http://wiat.com/2016/09/07/conference-committee-tries-to-break-oil-spill-deadlock/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">This Associated Press story has more about the plan</a>.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“We’re relieved that the Legislature pulled Alabama back from the brink of devastating Medicaid cuts that would have hurt more than 1 million people – mostly children, seniors, and people with disabilities,” <a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/media-room-topmenu-46/acpp-news-releases-topmenu-33/3483-expand-medicaid-and-end-alabama-s-cycle-of-shortfalls" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">Arise executive director Kimble Forrister said</a>. “And we’re pleased to see lawmakers take steps to help shore up Medicaid funding for the next two years. But vulnerable Alabamians’ access to health care shouldn’t be left up to stopgaps or one-time money.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/publications-topmenu-32/fact-sheets-topmenu-36/state-government-topmenu-52/3495-2016-legislative-update-alabama-avoids-deep-medicaid-cuts-what-s-next"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">MORE>></span></a></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">HB 36, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, will reverse the 30 percent Medicaid payment cuts to pediatricians and other primary care doctors that had begun in August. The bill will allow Alabama to move forward with <a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/publications-topmenu-32/fact-sheets-topmenu-36/health-topmenu-57/3246-6-things-to-know-about-alabama-s-medicaid-reforms" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">the Medicaid regional care organization (RCO) reforms that will emphasize preventive care</a> in an effort to save the state money and keep patients healthier. The measure also will prevent Medicaid from having to cut outpatient dialysis, prescription drugs and other services next year.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The House on Sept. 7 voted 87-9 to approve the conference committee’s version of the bill. Later that day, the Senate passed it 22-8. <a href="http://wiat.com/2016/09/07/conference-committee-tries-to-break-oil-spill-deadlock/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">This Associated Press story has more about the plan</a>.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“We’re relieved that the Legislature pulled Alabama back from the brink of devastating Medicaid cuts that would have hurt more than 1 million people – mostly children, seniors, and people with disabilities,” <a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/media-room-topmenu-46/acpp-news-releases-topmenu-33/3483-expand-medicaid-and-end-alabama-s-cycle-of-shortfalls" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 255);" target="_blank">Arise executive director Kimble Forrister said</a>. “And we’re pleased to see lawmakers take steps to help shore up Medicaid funding for the next two years. But vulnerable Alabamians’ access to health care shouldn’t be left up to stopgaps or one-time money.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 10px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.arisecitizens.org/index.php/publications-topmenu-32/fact-sheets-topmenu-36/state-government-topmenu-52/3495-2016-legislative-update-alabama-avoids-deep-medicaid-cuts-what-s-next"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">MORE>></span></a></p>