The Alabama Rural Health Association recently concluded its four-part statewide Policy Road Show with a board retreat to develop its 2020 Policy Agenda.
The Policy Road Shows opened opportunities for constituents across Alabama to voice their opinions on major healthcare issues in their communities. More than 250 attendees were able to provide feedback. The Road Show events took place in Rainsville, Wetumpka, Livingston, and Enterprise.
ARHA directors and advisory board members gathered after the final Road Show to study results and determine policies and legislation that would best help to accomplish the desires of constituents. After robust discussion, the following was proposed:
- Medicaid expansion / increased Medicaid funding
- Pursue approaches to Medicaid improvements, including considerations of Medicaid expansion and/or increased reimbursement for current Medicaid covered services.
- Physician and dental rural tax credit bill
- Pursue a physician tax credit bill to help recruit physicians to rural areas.
- Behavioral health and oral health improvement
- Support behavioral health and oral health in Alabama for structural, access, and reimbursement improvements.
- Health promotion (including health literacy) and focus on social determinants
- Support health promotion efforts statewide (including health education, health literacy, and health system advocacy and navigation) and policies and legislation that would support or assist with health promotion.
- Telehealth
- Support expansion and reimbursability of telehealth statewide. This may include support of a parity law.
- Public/private insurance reform
- Support various public/private insurance reform issues.
- Tax credit bill for physicians who serve in preceptor roles for student physicians.
- Support for a tax credit bill for physicians / providers who teach students as a preceptor to help with recruitment of physicians in rural areas.
- Transportation
- Support for emergency and non-emergency medical transportation support.
- Vaccinations
- Support for continued use of immunizations and vaccinations of patients.
- Advance physician extenders
- Support for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other healthcare providers that extend care into underserved areas and to provide needed care as appropriate.
- Access to healthy food
- Support for rural grocery stores, farmers markets, and subsequent nutrition education in rural communities.
- Social determinants
- Support for recognition and support of social determinants of health in order to improve patient compliance and outcomes.
- Broadband support
- Support for the advancement of broadband in rural Alabama for increased internet speed for electronic medical record systems and telehealth.
- Chronic disease prevention and compliance
- Support preventive services related to chronic health conditions as well as treatment services.
- Encourage additional health system collaboration
- Encouragement of new partnerships, whether direct or indirect, to increase resources and decrease cost for value-based care and access to care.
The Alabama Rural Health Association would like to thank each member and constituent who participated in the Road Shows, and each board member and advisory board member who participated in the planning and execution of the events as well as worked to develop the 2020 Alabama Rural Health Policy Agenda.
For more information, contact the Alabama Rural Health Association at 334.697.8541 or arha@arhaonline.org.
Alabama Rural Health Association 