Alabama Medicaid Expansion with Dr. Madeline Eckenrode

Alabama physician Dr. Madeline Eckenrode gives an insider's view of the suffering caused by the state's failure to expand Medicaid. Hear harrowing stories of patients with diabetes, substance use disorders and other chronic conditions who can't afford care. Learn how Medicaid expansion would lower costs and save lives. Most importantly, get inspired to join the fight for healthcare justice in your community!

Resources and Organizations Mentioned in Interview

Advocacy Organizations

Alabama Arise

• Organization that does advocacy around issues affecting Alabamians, including Medicaid expansion
• Encourages Dr. Eckenrode to write her article about young adults losing Medicaid coverage
• Provides information about legislation and opportunities for civic engagement
• Helps people know when to lobby, who to contact, and when to show up at the state house

Alabama Appleseed

• Advocacy organization that works on criminal justice reform and other issues in Alabama
• Successfully advocated to end the practice of jail managers pocketing leftover food budget money
• Works on issues with broad, cross-partisan appeal

Media and Publications

AL.com

• Website where Dr. Eckenrode published her article about Medicaid expansion
• Main news source for Alabama

ProPublica

• Published an article about United Healthcare using algorithms to determine if people were using "too much" mental health care and denying claims

Healthcare Organizations & Programs

UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

• UAB Medicine
• Where Dr. Eckenrode practices and did her residency
• Home of the STEP Clinic for young adults with complex medical conditions

The STEP Clinic at UAB

• Specializes in treating young adults with complex medical conditions from childhood
• Treats conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, organ transplants, lupus, etc.

Equal Access Birmingham

• Student-run free health clinic affiliated with UAB
• Provides care for uninsured patients with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes
• Cannot provide cancer screening or comprehensive services

PATH Clinic

• UAB clinic for uninsured patients with poorly controlled diabetes
• Provides free medications

REACT (Resource for Addiction and Community Treatment)

• UAB assertive community treatment team
• Works with severe cases of psychotic mental illness

Cooper Green

• Healthcare facility funded by Jefferson County taxpayers
• Provides services to uninsured individuals in Jefferson County

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Insurance Programs

Medicaid

• Government insurance for low-income and disabled people
• In Alabama, primarily serves disabled adults and children
• Pediatric Medicaid coverage ends at age 19 in Alabama
• Alabama has not expanded Medicaid unlike many other states
• Has "pretty good prescription drug coverage" according to Dr. Eckenrode

Medicare

• Government insurance primarily for people over 65
• Some people who are disabled can qualify before age 65
• People on dialysis automatically qualify for Medicare

Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Private insurance company mentioned throughout the interview
• Various plans (state employee, federal, employer-specific)

United Healthcare

• Private insurance company mentioned as "the enemy" by Dr. Eckenrode
• Largest employer of doctors in the country
• Uses algorithms to identify and deny claims for "excessive" mental health care usage in some states

Recent Policy Developments

Medicaid Postpartum Expansion

• Extended postpartum care through Medicaid from 6 weeks to 12 months

New Medicaid Enrollment for Pregnant Women

• Legislation to make it easier for pregnant women to enroll in Medicaid in first 60 days

Physical Therapy Direct Access Law

• Recent Alabama law allowing patients to see physical therapists without a doctor's referral
• Some insurers still requiring referrals despite the law

States Mentioned as Medicaid Expansion Success Stories

• North Carolina
• Arkansas
• Pennsylvania (mentioned as having no tax on groceries or essential items)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode are not neccesarily the views held by taproot therapy collective.

#MedicaidExpansion #AlabamaHealthcare #UninsuredPatients #ChronicIllness #MentalHealthAccess #SubstanceAbuseTreatment #PatientAdvocacy #HealthcareActivism #HealthcareCosts #HealthEquity #TaprootTherapyCollective #DrMadelineEckenrode