Alabama
Overcoming Poverty: Alabama looks for ways to provide health insurance coverage for more people
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama are living without health insurance, keeping many of them from going to the doctor when they need one. When they do get health care, it ends up costing hospitals thousands of dollars in uncompensated care. These are people who are working and make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance.
Alabama is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid coverage to include adults who don’t have children or disabilities. The Alabama Hospital Association is working on designing a plan that could consist of more people, and satisfy both political parties, and people like cosmetologist Eryn Mullins.
“We’re independent contractors,” Eryn explains. Her industry is full of people who are self-employed. “I have to be at work to get paid, to pay my bills and take care of my family.”
In her five years in this line of work, she’s managed her finances without insurance.
“When I started doing hair, I didn’t have any coverage, and I was a fairly healthy person, very fortunate about that. So I just did self-pay,” she said.
Eryn is just one of somewhere between 250,000 to 300,000 people in Alabama who fall into what the Alabama Hospital Association calls a coverage gap.
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“If you’re 18 and below, then you qualify for Medicaid as a child. And if you’re 65, then you qualify for Medicare,” the Association’s Deputy Director Danne Howard explained about Alabama’s state-provided healthcare benefits.
In Alabama, a parent or caregiver must make less than $4,000 a year to qualify for Medicaid. Those without dependents or disabilities don’t qualify at all.
“There are some states whose Medicaid program does cover healthy-bodied or able-bodied, childless adults in certain income levels. We elected not to do that many years back when the program was first put into place,” Howard said. “The state does not put the same amount of money into our Medicaid program as most other states do.”
“It’s very broken,” Mullins said, describing the system in place. “You feel invisible.”
The solution isn’t simple. Lawmakers have made it clear their priority is to be prudent with taxpayers’ money. The Alabama Hospital Association believes investing in Alabamian’s health up front could mean big payoffs in the long run.
“So we got to figure out a way to get them health care insurance so that they can be healthier, we have better health outcomes in the state, our workforce, our job force is a healthier workforce, and it pumps so much money back into the economy when you have a healthier population,” Howard insisted. “We will have information, hopefully soon, that we can release on the economic impact of closing the coverage gap.”
Eryn couldn’t wait for the state to figure out its funding. Now she’s a new mom, and her husband’s job offered some insurance.
“It’s okay. It’s affordable for us,” she said. But it’s not everything Eryn needs. And hundreds of thousands are in the same situation.
“There are a number of ongoing efforts right now and discussions in working through and trying to develop an Alabama-specific solution that would incorporate some of the best parts of some our sister states who have it already without putting a drain or strain on the state’s finances,” Howard said with hope.
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Alabama
What are the wealthiest ZIP codes in coastal Alabama?
Alabama
Donations help make successful back-to-school bash in west Alabama
ALICEVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) – A huge success for the back-to-school bash in Aliceville Friday night.
Organizers say 200 book bags were given out, a 44 inch basketball goal, school uniforms, and cash prizes. The event took place at Aliceville City Park.
Engaging Our Community Outreach sponsored the event for the 6th year in a row.
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Copyright 2024 WBRC. All rights reserved.
Alabama
What we saw from the new cornerbacks at Alabama football practice
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack had a simple demand.
“Strike through the man and punch through,” Wommack barked to the Alabama football defensive backs.
Wommack was running a tackling drill early in practice on Saturday. One player stands with his back to a red landing mat. Meanwhile, a defensive back launches into him, down onto the mat.
Not everyone struck the way Wommack sought. But he liked one rep from Zabien Brown.
Brown lowered his right shoulder and popped the player standing in front of the mat.
“Good,” Wommack responded. “Better with the strike.”
It’s one moment in a practice of many. And it was an individual drill, in which Brown was tackling a non-moving teammate. Still, it reflects well on Brown, a freshman who is one of the cornerbacks in competition for a starting job.
The media viewing periods during preseason camp aren’t long; none has lasted more than 30 minutes. And there’s no 11 vs. 11 or really any offense vs. defense. It’s mainly position work reporters see. Nonetheless, it’s an opportunity to see the Crimson Tide players practice.
AL.com spent Saturday mainly watching the cornerbacks during the viewing period. Here are some of the things we saw.
– There wasn’t a clear or consistent hierarchy or order going through drills. Some positions, it can be easy to spot. Cornerback, not so much. The order through each drill changed, but one that stood out: Domani Jackson, DaShawn Jones, Zavier Mincey, Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe then Jahlil Hurley. The next time through for a slightly different drill it was Jackson, Jones, Brown, Mincey, Mbakwe then Hurley. Then it was all shuffled up the next drill in which the cornerbacks put a blue band around their ankles and backpedaled. Don’t take these to be the depth chart; just a look at how the group worked in practice.
– Mincey is another freshman cornerback to watch besides Brown. He stands out on the field with noticeable length. Mincey is listed at 6-3, so he’s easy to spot quickly. Learning the finer points of the game will be key, but he would be an ideal defender to face a tall receiver. He might not be able to win the starting job out of camp, but he could help the defense at some point this season if he doesn’t. He’s got the measurables and talent to be a valuable defender, whether it be now or down the road.
– We didn’t see any real pass coverage drills during the media viewing period. Tackling and run defense mainly filled the time.
– Maurice Linguist, who coaches the cornerbacks, really liked how Jones ran one rep of a drill; In the drill, cornerbacks start off the line of scrimmage then run to wrap up a teammate holding a blocking shield. “There we go,” Linguist yelled while he clapped forcefully to show his approval of Jones’ technique.
– Linguist also praised Jackson several times through some of these run defense drills; Jackson figures to man one starting cornerback spot after his time at USC.
– Mbakwe, another five-star freshman, had some good moments in the drills but also a moment or two that left something to be desired from the coaches. You can see the potential, though. His development will be worth watching.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer forAL.comand the Alabama Media Group.Follow him on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
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