Editorial: Medicaid Malady - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Medicaid Malady

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By Collin R. Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    •   
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

The debating, the posturing, the finger pointing will all end soon when the current legislative session concludes in just mere days.  However, before the bell tolls our lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass the General Fund and Education Trust Fund Budgets.  Ever present in these discussions continues to be the issue of what level of appropriations from the General Fund will go to Medicaid.

The current proposed Medicaid budget is $400 million but state health officer Don Williamson says we need a minimum of $602 million to operate at the minimum level to remain eligible for federal aid.  Stay with me on this – Williamson also says Alabama's Medicaid program might not be adequate enough to qualify for an estimated $5 billion in federal grants and other funds if funded at $400 million.

So , if what Williamson says is accurate and we cannot operate a bare minimum Medicaid program in Alabama for anything less than $602 million and lawmakers don't find a solution to bridge the gap– then 900,000 lower-income and disabled Alabamians, hospitals, doctors and other health care providers are headed down a dark and dangerous road .

Governor – you said no new taxes – that doesn't appear to make much fiscal sense in the current environment and we need options and revenue.  Proposals to add a tax on cigarettes, adjusting Alabama's property tax rates or adding a state lottery are a few areas that could significantly shore up Alabama's finances.  Respectfully, we ask that you not be so rigid and hold onto at all costs what was promised the people of Alabama during the campaign that you put them in much greater harm's way by doing nothing at all.

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