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Alabama Health Care and Insurance
The majority of people in Alabama, 53%, receive health insurance from their employers. An additional 13% are insured through Medicare, and 15% are insured through Medicaid. Fifteen percent of the population has no health insurance.
Alabama does not offer high risk pool insurance to people who are unable to obtain medical insurance due to health problems, nor does it place caps on what private insurers can charge for insurance. Minors, pregnant women, and disabled persons who meet strict income guidelines may qualify for Medicaid.
Help for Uninsured Children in Alabama
Alabama offers several programs to help uninsured children, including the ALL Kids Program, SOBRA Medicaid, the Public Education Employees Health Insurance Plan (PEHIP) and the State Employees’ Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SECHIP). All of these plans have income guidelines. Another option for uninsured children is the Alabama Child Caring Foundation, a private foundation that offers outpatient healthcare to children who meet certain eligibility requirements.
Alabama Healthcare Issues
Alabama scores well in nursing home care compared to other states, with a relatively low number of nursing home residents reporting delirium, depression, or increased problems completing their activities of daily living.
An area in Alabama’s healthcare system that has potential for improvement and growth, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is care of cardiac patients. Compared to other states, heart attack and heart failure patients in Alabama have a decreased chance of having appropriate medications prescribed in a timely manner.
Alabama also has a relatively high rate of deaths from prostate cancer and infant mortality among babies with a low birth weight.
Alabama is currently involved in lawsuits against more than seventy pharmaceutical companies. The state alleges that these companies overcharged the Medicaid system for medications. As of this writing, two companies (Dey and Takeda Pharmaceuticals) have settled with the state and one, AstraZeneca, has been ordered by a state jury to pay the state 215 million dollars in compensatory and punitive damages.
