The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Chair of the Board of the Greene County Health System

  • More than half of Alabama’s 52 rural hospitals are at risk of closure,New billboard urges Medicaid expansion to save Alabama hospitals

    A billboard supporting Medicaid expansion. 

    By Alabama Political Reporters Staff

    Cover Alabama and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) unveiled a striking new billboard near Jackson Hospital recently, spotlighting the urgent need for Medicaid expansion to safeguard healthcare access and protect Alabama’s hospitals. Featuring the message, *“Save Jackson Hospital. Expand Medicaid now.”* alongside an image of an ambulance, the billboard underscores the critical need to address Alabama’s healthcare coverage gap.

    According to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, more than half of Alabama’s 52 rural hospitals are at risk of closure, with 23 facing an immediate threat. This crisis has already hit close to home, with Thomasville Regional Medical Center closing in recent weeks and other hospitals across the state reducing services.

    “For too long, Alabama’s hospitals have struggled under the weight of a broken healthcare system,” said Debbie Smith, Cover Alabama campaign director. “This billboard is a stark reminder that without action, more hospitals will be forced to close, impacting families and economies across our state.”

    John Zippert, Chair of the Board of the Greene County Health System said, “Our hospital, nursing home and physician’s clinic face a serious financial challenge. How can we continue to operate with a monthly deficit of $50,000 to $100,000, caused by providing uncompensated care. If the Governor and the Legislature expanded Medicaid, it would mean that 40% of the people who use our facilities and services would have some form of heath insurance. These people would become healthier, and our hospital would move to a heathier financial position.”

    Jane Adams, Government Relations Director for ACS CAN in Alabama, echoed the call for urgent action. “This is no longer just a rural problem. Hospitals in urban and suburban areas are also at risk. We need Governor Ivey to act now before it’s too late.”

    The challenges facing Alabama hospitals have far-reaching implications, particularly for rural communities. Retired Brig. Gen. Edward Crowell, board chair of Jackson Hospital, highlighted the impact Medicaid expansion could have: “Jackson Hospital plays a vital role in ensuring that community members have access to essential health services,” Crowell said. “Medicaid expansion would be a game-changer, strengthening hospitals across the state and enabling us to continue serving those in need.”

    The billboard, located on I-85 westbound near Jackson Hospital, will remain visible for several weeks as part of a broader campaign by Cover Alabama and ACS CAN to raise awareness and inspire Alabamians to advocate for change. Organizers hope the campaign will encourage residents to contact their legislators and urge them to take action on Medicaid expansion.

    Cover Alabama is a nonpartisan alliance of over 100 community partners, businesses, healthcare providers, and faith groups advocating for quality, affordable health coverage for Alabama residents.

    ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. Since 2001, it has championed evidence-based public policies to reduce the burden of cancer, expanding access to healthcare and securing funding for cancer research.

     

  • Rev. William Barber says Alabama abortion ban is hypocrisy in claiming to be pro-life while disregarding the lives of poor people

    Rev. William Barber, Co-Director of the Poor People’s Campaign joined the SOS Coalition for Justice and Democracy at its weekly Tuesday rally on the steps of the Alabama State House to urge Governor Kaye Ivey and the Alabama Legislature to support Medicaid Expansion, under the Affordable Care Act, for working poor people in the state.“I have come here today as a bishop of the church to expose the distorted moral narrative of the Governor and the Alabama State Legislature in claiming they are pro-life in adopting a mean spirited ban on all abortions, with no exceptions for rape, incest and health of the mother. They are forcing women in Alabama back to back alleys to seek reproductive health care services,” said Rev. Barber.
    “ A number of states including, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri are adopting these total abortion bans while at the same time having the highest rates of infant mortality, maternal death rates, food stamp utilization and failing to expand Medicare Expansion,” said Barber.
    Rev. Barber indicated, “It is the height of hypocrisy for the Alabama Governor and the Legislature to say they are pro-life when 948,000 people in the state make under $15 hour. These are the very mothers who cannot get health care insurance coverage because the state has not extended Medicaid to the working poor. To be more concerned about the unborn, than with people after they are born, makes little sense.”
    A grandmother from Birmingham, who had reunited her five grandchildren from foster homes, testified that she was working two jobs and still could not qualify for health insurance coverage because her income was still too low. She also indicated that she was struggling to keep her food stamps and other government support.
    John Zippert, Chair of the Board of the Greene County Health System testified, “Our small rural 20 bed hospital is seriously challenged with providing $100,000 a month in uncompensated care to people who would have some health insurance to pay for their care if the State of Alabama expanded Medicaid. Our hospital, like most of those in the state, is operating with a financial deficit. We cannot continue operating this way very much longer.”
    Sandy Fox, Southeast Regional Director for Planned Parenthood said, “My organization plans to sue the State of Alabama to prevent this abortion ban from going into effect.
    We are continuing to offer reproductive health services to women in Alabama as we have since 1930. Black women in the South have a rate of cervical cancer six times higher than whites, and the Legislature and the Governor are trying to cut and stop health care services for poor women.
    Zippert also said, “The SOS has developed a Citizens Arrest Warrant for Governor Kay Ivey. We want to arrest her for the crime of failing to expand Medicaid, which has lead to 500+ people a year dying unnecessarily without heath care; signing the draconian abortion ban, which hurts women; failing to act on prison reform and criminal justice; and continuing to suppress the votes of African-American, Latino and other voters.”
    Rev. Barber pointed out that there was a statute in front of the Alabama State Capitol of Dr. Marion Sims, a medical doctor who practiced surgery on Black women during slavery without anesthesia to learn new gynecological procedures and that the Alabama abortion ban was following his brutal and misguided legacy.
    “The most dangerous thing about the pro-life people is that they anchor these beliefs in their religious faith. But Jesus says nothing in the Bible about abortion but he does say a lot about treating the poor well and as you would want to be treated,” said Rev. Barber.