Tag: advocacy
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Here’s How Alabamians Can Fight Insurance Red Tape That Delays Medical Care
Alabama doctors and patients frustrated with delays in care caused by insurance companies’ prior authorization process now have a new way to share their stories and promote change. A new online platform — www.ALFixPriorAuth.com — invites Alabamians to share their experiences with prior authorization problems. The website and the initiative behind it to encourage faster…
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Association Kicks Off 11 Regional Receptions Tour Across Alabama
This Fall, the Medical Association’s Governmental Relations team kicked off its Regional Receptions Tour across the state to bring lawmakers and physicians together to help discuss issues affecting medicine in Alabama. Partnering with 9 medical specialty societies to put on these events, the Association is working to host 11 receptions reaching from Mobile to the…
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Medical Association Supports Continued Funding for Maternal Death Investigations
‘Shocking’ Nearly 70% of Deaths Are Preventable, Experts Say MONTGOMERY – The Medical Association of the State of Alabama today joined Alabama legislators in calling for continued state funding to investigate why Alabama mothers die from childbirth and pregnancy complications at more than double the rate of women nationally. The funding for this research,…
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Physicians’ Perspective: Dr. Lindsay Robbins & Funding the MMRC
The Alabama Maternal Mortality Committee completed its inaugural year, reviewing a full year’s worth of maternal deaths in the state of Alabama. During the review process of each maternal death, the committee ensures that the cause of death is recorded correctly, weighs in on whether or not the death was preventable, and makes recommendations to…
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Funding the Maternal Mortality Review Committee: An Effort to #SaveALMoms
The Statistics According to the most recent statistics, Alabama’s 2018 maternal death rate of 36.4 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births means women in this state die from pregnancy and childbirth complications at more than double the rate of women nationally (17.4 deaths). The numbers also mask a glaring racial disparity: black women die at…
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Discussions with Decisionmakers: Rep. Paul Lee
Get to Know Representative Paul Lee Please tell us a little bit about yourself – Primary occupation? Interests? Hobbies? I am the currently Executive Director of the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center, which is located on a 26-acre campus in Dothan and hosts over 200 employees. At Wiregrass Rehab, we work to assist individuals in securing employment, overcoming…
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Advocacy Efforts During COVID-19
The spread of COVID-19 has affected nearly all aspects of our daily lives. For the Medical Association’s efforts in protecting physicians and patients, this was also true. Nonetheless, between March 13 (when Gov. Ivey issued the COVID-19 state of emergency) and mid-May, our advocacy work continued in full-force. Executive Actions & Proposals Worked with various…
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Three Simple Steps for Increasing Medicine’s Influence
From the outside looking in, the political process likely seems as inviting as a shark tank, as navigable as a corn maze, as predictable as the Kentucky Derby. Intimidating, confusing and frustrating are often used by citizens to describe advocacy-related interactions with government and frankly, this isn’t surprising given most citizens’ level of understanding of the…
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President Signs Bills Lifting Pharmacist ‘Gag Clauses’ on Drug Prices
Earlier this week, President Trump signed two bipartisan bills into law that will allow pharmacists to tell patients they can save money on drugs by paying cash or trying a lower-cost alternative. At issue was the “broken” drug pricing system in the U.S. that was forcing patients to make decisions, which could have negatively impacted…
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Alabama Physicians Attend AMA Meeting in Chicago to Discuss State of Health Care
Pictured from left in the back are Dr. Buddy Smith Jr., Dr. Jefferson Underwood and Dr. Jerry Harrison. In front from left are Dr. Steven Furr, Medical Student Delegate Hannah Ficarino from the University of South Alabama, Dr. Jorge Alsip and Dr. John Meigs. During the AMA’s Annual Meeting held June 8-13, 2018, the House…