Latest news with #AlabamaMedicaidAgency
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alabama postpartum depression bills fail but drive Medicaid policy changes
Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, speaks on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on May 9, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Legislation that would have required Alabama health care providers to screen for postpartum depression failed to pass this year. But the sponsors of the bills – one a Democrat; one a Republican — feel they managed to move the issue forward. 'We may not have won the war on postpartum depression, but we certainly got a victory in the battle,' said Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX As originally filed, HB 322, sponsored by Holk-Jones, and SB 191, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, would have required the Alabama Medicaid Agency to provide and cover postpartum depression screenings and to cover specific prescription drugs used to treat depression. The bills would also have removed a requirement that those suffering from postpartum depression go through separate 30-day treatment trials with at least two generic antidepressants before covering an FDA-approved therapy for postpartum depression like Zurzuvae. Melanie Cleveland, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Medicaid Agency, said in an email Friday that the agency no longer requires patients with postpartum depression to try less expensive generic medicine before getting approved for pricier treatments. Cleveland said that FDA-approved medication for postpartum depression will no longer depend on two prior failed therapies. 'That's a step in the right direction,' Holk-Jones said. Medicaid covers mental health treatment for low-income mothers up to a year after childbirth. But significant obstacles prevent many from receiving adequate care, forcing some women to go without treatment until they are in crisis. These barriers include Medicaid's underfunding, which leads to low reimbursement rates for therapists and limits the number who accept Medicaid, and issues with administrative requirements, lack of transportation and childcare, and limited telehealth accessibility. The initial version of the bill would have mandated universal postpartum depression screenings for new mothers as part of the postnatal care model. The bill would also have required the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to develop educational materials on postpartum depression for health care professionals and parents of newborns. Holk-Jones' bill was amended in the House Health Committee to focus only on educational material that would have been developed by ADPH, which the House passed unanimously. Figures' Senate bill was also amended in committee to reflect the changes in the House, but the Senate never voted on it. Figures said that although the remaining educational provisions of the bill did not become law, it is something that the department could do without statute. 'They can do that on their website. If the bill does not pass, the health department can still do that, too,' Figures said, but she said that 'the major thing that needed to be done was done without a statute,' referring to the requirement that people not fail two prior medications. Jennifer Harris, a health policy advocate at Alabama Arise, a nonprofit organization focusing on poverty issues, said that while some providers already provide screenings, the new policy allows providers to assess patient needs without being subject to cost-saving controls. 'One of the administrative changes they made was that the provider should be able to assess the needs for the patient, and if not, if it doesn't meet the criteria of being the least costly, less evasive, medication first, then they're able to prescribe that medication that the mother would need,' Harris said. Despite changes in Medicaid's policy, Holk-Jones said there was still a critical need for the legislation, pointing to the prevalence of postpartum depression in Alabama. 'I do think this bill is absolutely needed, especially for all of the mothers with newborns who are dealing with the difficult mental health issue of postpartum depression,' Holk-Jones said. Mental health care for new moms is critical. And hard to access. Nearly 19% of mothers had frequent postpartum depressive symptoms in Alabama in 2021, compared to 12.7% of mothers nationwide, according to latest March of Dimes data. Holk-Jones also said that untreated postpartum depression is not only damaging to the mother's health, but can also have more significant economic costs, including long-term health care costs from emergency intervention and 'long-term mental health issues that have damaging effects on both the mother and their child.' She said this was 'a genuine attempt' to address an issue that affects more people in Alabama than in other states. She will pre-file the bill for the next legislative session, saying 'it is time we address this issue.' 'This bill … is about making sure every woman, no matter where she lives, gets screened and supported. That's the standard we should all be working toward and that is why I will be refiling this legislation again next session,' Holk-Jones said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alabama Medicaid to request $1.184 billion for 2026
The offices of the Alabama Medicaid Agency, as seen on Jan. 24, 2023. The agency will request $1.184 billion for its FY26 budget. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Medicaid Agency will request $1.184 billion from the state for FY 2026, about $229 million more than its budget this year. 'Most of it is related to health care inflation cost,' Alabama Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar told legislators Thursday afternoon. 'We have to build that in to make sure that we can pay our providers for what comes along.' The request was not a surprise but represents something of a landmark for Alabama Medicaid, a cornerstone of the state's health care sector. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Despite strict eligibility requirements that mostly limit the program to children, the elderly and those with disabilities, Medicaid provides health care coverage for about 20% of the state; pays for more than half the births in Alabama and is critical to keeping hospitals, nursing homes and medical practices open. Azar said that the increase in her request is technically $53 million, but it appears to be $229 million because of the federal aid the state received during the COVID-19 pandemic, aid that is no longer coming to the state. 'It looks like the growth of the program is a lot more than it was, because we've had federal COVID dollars that has made the Legislature be able to appropriate us less,' she said. 'And this year, that's really moving away.' Since last June, Alabama Medicaid enrollment has dropped by nearly 300,000 to 1.081 million, according to Azar's presentation. This is nearly back to its pre-COVID enrollment at 1.054 million. 'I've always been an advocate for the people in this state that have needs. But there are some that have taken advantage of the system,' Rep. Chris Blacksher, R-Smiths Station, said. 'That's not fair to the people who truly need it.' Medicaid makes up the largest single allocation in the Alabama General Fund budget, which pays for most noneducation state programs. But the state share is only a fraction of the total cost of the program. The federal government is expected to pay about 73% of the program's costs next year. Azar estimates that Medicaid will receive over $7 billion from the federal government. 'I'm optimistic that I will be appropriated for my 2026 budget,' she said. 'As long as we follow federal requirements, which is our full intention, we should draw our matching dollars for that state share.' House General Fund Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Hazel Green, said the committee will try its best to grant Medicaid its requested budget. 'We certainly hope we can. We know that if we don't, it impacts our hospitals, impacts our nursing homes and impacts our providers,' he said. 'We really got to find a way to make that happen.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump's federal funding freeze leads to confusion, concern among Alabama agencies, nonprofits
The office of the Alabama Medicaid Agency, as seen on Jan. 23, 2023 in Montgomery, Alabama. President Donald Trump's federal aid freeze has caused confusion and disrupted funding for Alabama's Medicaid and education agencies. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)) President Donald Trump's freeze on federal assistance created confusion and concern Tuesday among state agencies and nonprofits that depend on federal money for operations. A spokeswoman for the Alabama Medicaid Agency said Tuesday that the agency appeared to have been locked out of its federal funding portal. The Alabama State Department of Education said that at least some of its discretionary funding had been affected. In a memo dated Monday, the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced a freeze on all federal financial assistance, including grants and loans. The move affected both state programs and nonprofits that depend on federal funding for programs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The United Way of Central Alabama said in a statement Tuesday that it was 'carefully evaluating' what the move meant for programs it supports — 'whether it's housing for veterans experiencing homelessness, meals for homebound seniors or support for parents raising children.' 'The federal grants we receive are crucial for services we provide in the community, and without this cash flow for an undetermined amount of time, both we and our network of funded partner agencies could face significant operational risks,' the statement said. 'This freeze also jeopardizes the financial security and stability of the families who depend on these much-needed community services.' The memo also led to widespread confusion about what the freeze meant for Medicaid, a federal program serving poor and low-income Americans. In Alabama, Medicaid covered about 1 million people – nearly 20% of the population – in 2022 and paid for more than half the births in the state. The program, considered critical for health care in Alabama, gets about 73% of its funding from the federal government. A footnote attached to the OMB memo said it should not be 'construed to impact Medicare or Social Security benefits' but did not mention Medicaid. A separate memo from OMB on Tuesday morning said 'In addition to Social Security and Medicare, already explicitly excluded in the guidance, mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause.' But White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday she was not certain about whether Medicaid was affected, according to ABC News. State Medicaid programs around the country reported difficulties accessing a federal funding portal. 'It is our understanding that access to the portal has been halted temporarily, and we are currently awaiting guidance from CMS,' Melanie Cleveland, a spokesperson for the Alabama Medicaid Agency. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, demanded in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the administration to restore access to the portal. 'More than 1 million Alabamians rely on Medicaid along with the providers, hospitals, & clinics that serve them. The Trump Administration needs to restore it NOW!' Sewell posted. Eric Mackey, Alabama' state schools superintendent, said in a statement Tuesday that they did not believe the OMB memo 'affects formula-driven programs like Title I and IDEA.' Title I provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families. IDEA ensures that students with disabilities receive a free education. 'We are working closely with other state and federal agencies to secure any funds necessary to continue normal daily operations without interruption. Some discretionary grant funds will be affected,' the statement said. A separate memo from OMB lists off the programs that will be paused temporarily while it reviews which federal spending it deems appropriate, which includes higher education grants and the Pell Grant program. The U.S. Department of Education, however, said that financial aid and student loans would not be impacted, according to CNBC. The Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership between the federal government and states, has also been affected by the order to freeze federal dollars. 'The ARC is complying with the pause order from OMB, and we have been communicating with OMB and working to provide them with the information they need to assess ARC's programs and grant opportunities,' said Janiene Bohannon, communications director for the Appalachian Regional Commission. She added that until the organization 'is pausing' until it learns more from the Office of Management and Budget about the next organization operates in 37 counties in Alabama, which comprises the northern part of the state, but goes as far south as Macon to the list provided by OMB, the Appalachia Regional Commission has five programs affected by the order. Just about all the programs relate to economic development, which include the Appalachian Development Highway System funding program. Organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday ahead of the temporary pause taking effect. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday morning that he's spoken with New York State Attorney General Letitia James about a legal challenge. Mackey cautioned against getting distracted amid a 'flurry of activity' that makes 'some of our educators uneasy.' 'In short, just keep having school. Let's stay focused on teaching and learning. I assure you that we are staying on top of the situation and will pass along information as we get updates,' Mackey said. Ralph Chapoco contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
