Health Care Reform in Alabama - the facts

From Sarah Palin's sorry excuse to the lack of judgment of some people (particularly those who would strike a match or flick a lighter to light a cigarette while being treated with oxygen - thus killing themselves) there are many things I could write about.

But Sarah can cook her own goose and smokers are already showing their poor judgment by continuing to do so.

So with the delay over the Repeal of Health Care Act vote a little info on what Health Care Reform has done for Alabama so far is in order.

As Alabamians learn, maybe they will call their representatives and say, "Hey, don't take away the insurance of those people or the jobs from these folks." Read on.

Source

In Alabama, 30,599 Medicare recipients have received a tax free $250 rebate check to help close the donut hole coverage gap.

Will the Republicans want that money back from our seniors when they rip that hole back open?

33 uninsured Alabamians with pre-existing conditions now have insurance as a result of Health care Reform. There are thousands`eligible for this benefit, possibly the media in our state has not done a good job of educating the citizens, or perhaps those in need have been frightened by the Republicans of "Obamacare" and they are avoiding getting coverage out of fear.

When you think of Alabama people, who comes to mind?

These dancers are regular Alabama women. I took this photograph at an art show in Birmingham. Some of these women are probably students. Some are probably without insurance. Within 30 years, some of them will develop cancer. Remember this fact, I'll refer to it later.

This group of Alabama residents are marching toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. I wonder how many of these Alabamians are without insurance. Some of these people are eligible for early retirement. Remember this fact. I'll refer to early retirees later.

Many census workers were students. They probably didn't have insurance. They can now stay on their parents insurance until age 26 under Health care Reform.


This mostly white group of McCalla residents gathered in Bessemer to become informed about the Norfolk Southern Intermodal Facility. Many of these folks are seniors, benefiting from the $250 rebate.


In Alabama, 32 Employers Enrolled in Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program(ERRP) provides much-needed financial relief to businesses, schools and other educational institutions, unions, State and local governments, and non-profits, in order to help retirees and their families continue to have quality, affordable health coverage. Click here to find a list of organizations accepted into this program in Alabama.


In Alabama, $1 million has been given to the state in grant funding to crack down on unreasonable insurance premium increases. This money will help to pursue greater legislative authority in insurance review, Expand the scope of the review process, improve the review process, and increase transparency and accessibility in the review process.

In Alabama, $1 million has been allotted to plan for a Health Insurance Exchange.

In Alabama, $3,708,304 has been awarded to support biomedical research for the Therapeutic Discovery Project Program. This research will advance the goal of finding therapies and cure for cancer over the next 30 years. In Alabama this means 17 projects, with their accompanying jobs, will be supported. For a list of the project credits click here and for the project grants click here.

Other grants made available in Alabama:

• $1.5 million for Tribal, Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs
• $500,000 for Medicare improvements for patients and providers
• $200,000 to strengthen public health infrastructure to improve health outcomes
• $3.4 million in Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant awards
• $500,000 to build epidemiology, laboratory, and health information systems capacity
• $100,000 for HIV Prevention and Public Health Fund activities
• $5.1 million to support capital development in health centers

So around $16,000,000 will flow through the Alabama economy in the form, mostly, of equipment and wages for those employed in the programs. I wish I knew how many jobs were being created, but it is obviously thousands.

These figures are not complete. They are only current through December 20, 2010.

Every Representative from Alabama with the exception of Terri Sewell wants to do away with these programs, re-open the donut hole for seniors, remove insurance coverage from those who now are insured as a provision of Health Care Reform, and un-employ thousands in our state that are employed in the research and other programs listed above.

Please call your representative and tell them to leave your health care reform alone. Dial (202)224-3121 and ask for your representative. Or use this searchable online directory to find your representative's direct office number.