In 2014, Alabama Gov Robert Bentley refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Gov Kay Ivey continued his legacy by also refusing to take the expansion that denied healthcare to the people of Alabama. Alabama is one of three states that still has not accepted the expansion of Medicaid. This is insane considering that Alabama is one of the poorest states in the country with over 17% of Alabamaians living below the poverty level. The fact that nearly 500,000 Alabamians do not have any form of health insurance and the prospects of getting medical attention are grim. Since the refusal to expand Medicaid the States of Alabama and Mississippi have led the nation in cervical cancer deaths.
According to the study, the refusal to expand Medicaid has not only left about 500,000 Alabamians in the Medicaid coverage gap but also shows that nearly half of Alabamians in the workforce are not receiving health insurance from their employees. These same folks who work a minimum wage job can not afford to pay for health insurance coverage. If Ivey and the Republicans had expanded Medicaid then more people would have access to Medicaid that would help pay their medical costs. According to Community Catalyst, closing the Medicaid coverage gap would create an average of 20,000 new jobs per year and have an estimated positive economic impact of $11.36 billion over the next six years. Alabama has not accepted Federal funding to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, despite Democratic lawmakers’ repeated attempts to do so. The Alabama Hospital Association also supports expansion and has stated that dozens of hospitals in Alabama have closed in recent years or are in danger of closing due to Gov Ivey’s refusal to expand Medicaid.
Medicaid in Alabama mainly covers children, the elderly, and the disabled. Adults with qualifying children must make no more than 18% of the poverty line to receive Medicaid.
The Alabama Medicaid Agency began evaluating Medicaid recipients’ eligibility for coverage in June. The agency completed four months of redeterminations, but only June and July determinations have been reported. Since those who lost coverage have 90 days to reinstate coverage, the agency wants to avoid amending numbers if they report them too early. 68% of recipients had their coverage renewed, while 32% were disenrolled in Alabama. Of the people disenrolled, KFF estimates that about 86%, lost coverage for procedural reasons because recipients did not complete the paperwork while 14% were determined to be ineligible. Procedural terminations also happen when the state agency does not have enough information to renew the coverage automatically.
It may surprise you to learn that Cuba has a healthcare system that is provided without the greed of a private healthcare industry. All health services in Cuba are provided free of charge. So, what is the rational reason why people living in the United States of America cannot enjoy a healthcare system at least as good as Cuba’s? The answer is simple. Voters go to the polls and vote and many of them do not even know the names of the candidates, much less what their platform is. This is how we have gotten overloaded with greedy State leaders who don’t care about the people. If you are dependent on Social Security, why do you vote for a candidate who is telling you that he is going to kill Social Security? If you are living in poverty, why do you vote for a candidate who is vowing to get rid of Medicaid, food stamps, and rental assistance? Now we have a re-elected governor who refused to expand Medicaid and she was re-elected by people who depend on Medicaid and are now being kicked off. Does it make any sense to vote for a party candidate when that candidate is not working for your personal best interest?
It isn’t Gov Kay Ivey, Lt Gov Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Tommy Tuberville, Rober Aderholt, or Tracy Estes who are suffering without the expansion of Medicaid, but it is in their support of NOT expanding Medicaid that you are.
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair
SDEC District 17 Rep Alabama Democratic Party