Tag: health
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Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council Issues Formal Report
MONTGOMERY — Co-chairs of the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner Lynn Beshear of the Alabama Department of Mental Health, and Acting State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, announced the issuance of the Council’s formal report of its findings. The Council was created in August 2017 by an executive order…
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Possible Government Shutdown with CHIP in the Balance?
Friday, Jan. 19: Government shutdowns are rare, with the last shutdown in 2013 that lasted 17 days. Even though the U.S. House passed legislation that would fund CHIP for six more years, the Senate may not approve the measure. In fact, Congress is facing the possibility of another government shutdown, which could leave health care…
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New Research Shows Americans with Mental Illness use Opioids at Alarming Levels
More than half of all opioid medications distributed each year in the United States are prescribed to adults with mental illness — patients diagnosed with depression and anxiety — according to new research by Dartmouth-Hitchcock and the University of Michigan. The study, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Board of…
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Alabama Physician Health Program Announces Reorganization
The Alabama Physician Health Program, the Medical Association’s confidential resource for physicians and other medical professionals with potentially impairing conditions or illnesses, recently announced a reorganization and new staff to better protect the health, safety and welfare of those it serves. The APHP provides confidential consultation and support to physicians, physician’s assistants, residents and medical…
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Centreville Physician Receives National Recognition
Centreville physician John Waits was the only Alabama physician to be recognized by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health’s 2017 Community Stars Program. Dr. Waits was one of 31 honorees during the 2017 National Rural Health Day working tirelessly to improve, protect and advance health and wellness in our rural communities. Dr.…
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Metro Areas Increasingly Dominated by Single Insurance Companies
In an analysis of competition in health insurance markets across the U.S., a study conducted by the American Medical Association found that in 169 of 389 metropolitan areas (43 percent), a single health insurer had at least a 50 percent share of the market. This represents an eight percent increase in such markets over just…
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Trump: Opioid Epidemic “Worst Drug Crisis” in U.S. History
President Trump called the opioid epidemic the “worst drug crisis” to strike the U.S. in its history while declaring a public health emergency – not a national emergency as promised earlier in the summer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 140 American die every day from an opioid overdose, which…
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Pres. Trump’s Executive Order Creates Confusion
Earlier this week, President Trump signed an executive order that could be a first step in dismantling the Affordable Care Act. About 20 health organizations have so far spoken out against the executive order arguing the action could weaken patient protections and destabilize the individual market. President Trump’s executive order signed on Thursday, Oct. 12,…
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The Medical Association Supports Replacement of ACA with Workable Health Care System
The Medical Association released its 2017 Legislative Agendas earlier this year, which were developed with guidance from the House of Delegates and great contribution from our physician members who participated in the 2017 Legislative Agenda Survey. The Medical Association has continued to express support for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and its replacement…
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Opioids in Alabama: Where Do We Go From Here?
The numbers are staggering. In 2015 alone opioid-related overdoses accounted for more than 33,000 deaths — nearly as many as traffic fatalities. Today more than 2.5 million adults in the U.S. are struggling with addiction to opioid drugs, including prescription opioids and heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About 91 Americans…