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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 &ndash; 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&rsquo;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&nbsp;<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>&nbsp;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&rsquo;s version of the bill. Later that day, the Senate passed it 22-8.&nbsp;<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;">&ldquo;We&rsquo;re relieved that the Legislature pulled Alabama back from the brink of devastating Medicaid cuts that would have hurt more than 1 million people &ndash; mostly children, seniors, and people with disabilities,&rdquo;&nbsp;<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>. &ldquo;And we&rsquo;re pleased to see lawmakers take steps to help shore up Medicaid funding for the next two years. But vulnerable Alabamians&rsquo; access to health care shouldn&rsquo;t be left up to stopgaps or one-time money.&rdquo;</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&gt;&gt;</span></a></p>