The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Governor Ivey to approve Medicaid Expansion

  • Gov. Kay Ivey appoints Rachel England new district attorney for Marengo, Greene and Sumter counties

    Rachel M. England

    Governor Ivey has appointed Rachel M. England as District Attorney for the 17th Judicial Circuit serving Greene, Marengo and Sumter counties.  A Demopolis native and graduate of The University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Law, England will replace District Attorney Greg Griggers for the two years remaining in his term as DA. Griggers was elected Circuit Judge for the 17th Judicial District replacing Judge Eddie Hardaway who retired.

    “A prosecutor from the beginning of her legal career, Rachel England has a distinguished record of handling criminal cases throughout the 17th Judicial Circuit as an Assistant District Attorney,” said Governor Ivey.  “During her tenure she has played an active role in confronting crime, from targeting gang violence to rooting out public corruption. I have no doubt she will continue this strong record of upholding the law as the new District Attorney in Greene, Marengo and Sumter counties. England will also become Alabama’s youngest district attorney at age 29.”

    England, a native of Marengo County, attended public school and went to the University of Alabama, with the intention of studying medicine. “ I started as a biology major, but I also had an internship in District Attorney Griggers office since high school. After two years, I changed my major and focused on law school. I attended the University of Alabama Law school. After seven years away from my home in Demopolis, I returned to take a job as Assistant District Attorney under Griggers to help keep our citizens safe and reduce crime.”

    Rachel England was recently in the news for pursuing jury tampering charges against Tiyanna Deshay Artis, who served as jury forewoman in a case of two cousins, Gregory and Terrence Williams, from Greene County, for murdering Donald Ireland of Sumter County. Both cousins were acquitted of the murder charge by the jury. England, assisted by law enforcement found evidence of a personal relationship between Artis and Terrence Williams and charged her with 15 counts of Perjury 1st Degree and 3 counts of Hindering Prosecution 1st Degree. Artis is in jail in Sumter County.

    “Blatant juror misconduct rising to this egregious level will not be tolerated in the 17th Judicial Circuit. There will be harsh consequences for those who attempt to disrupt the judicial process of the criminal circuit court,” said England, at the time Assistant District Attorney.

  • $940 million incentives in American Rescue Plan SOS holds rally to encourage Governor Ivey to Expand Medicaid, since financial incentives are available

    The Save Ourselves Movement for Justice and Democracy (SOS) held a rally and press conference on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at the State Capitol to urge Governor Ivey to approve Medicaid Expansion because there are new financial incentives available in the American Rescue Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Biden. These incentives will provide $700 to $940 million in additional Medicaid reimbursement, over two years, to the State of Alabama for its current Medicaid participants if it Expands Medicaid to the working poor, who have incomes up to 138% of poverty. This would cover 300,000 or more Alabamians who are not covered now by health insurance coverage. The incentives raise the reimbursement level on all existing Medicaid recipients from 78% to 82% of allowable costs. This 5% increase translates into the millions of new revenues for the state based on calculations by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D. C. think-tank. “Governor Ivey has a second chance to cover the cost of initiating Medicaid Expansion for Alabama citizens, because of the incentives in the American Rescue Act. These incentives were provided to encourage states that had not adopted Medicaid Expansion in 2014, another opportunity to avail themselves of this health care benefit, especially in view of the health challenges of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Johnny Ford, former Mayor of Tuskegee and Co-Chair of the SOS Health Committee. Martha Morgan of the SOS Steering Committee said, “ It is a shame that Federal taxpayers in Alabama have been sending millions of their tax dollars to subsidize Medicaid coverage for working poor people in other states – when we have so many people in Alabama who need this same coverage. Governor Ivey, please act now to Expand Medicaid!” John Zippert, SOS Health Committee Co-Chair, explained “ Seven years ago, Alabama could have expanded Medicaid at no cost for three years, Governor Bentley did not take advantage of the offer then. Now Alabama has a second chance to get incentives for expanding Medicaid. We urge Governor Ivey to take advantage of this new opportunity. The Federal government is paying Alabama to get all of its citizens covered for healthcare. Now is the time for Alabama to Expand Medicaid.” Zack Carter, SOS Steering Committee member said, “ We cannot understand why Gov. Ivey will not accept this program to save Alabama lives. A Kaiser Health study showed that before the pandemic, three people in Alabama were dying every two days, 700 a year, because we did not expand Medicaid coverage. This is the same Governor that is using state funds to pay for state tropers to lead strike-breakers into the Brookwood coal mines, in yellow school buses. She has funds to break a strike but not to Expand Medicaid!” At the close of the rally, Johnny Ford warned, “ Gov. Ivey we will be back with hundreds of people, every week, to push you to Expand Medicaid!” WSFA-TV in Montgomery in its report on the SOS rally said they contacted the Governor’s office for a comment and her staff said they were still studying the American Rescue Plan to see what benefits it contains to assist the state in dealing with the pandemic. For more information on how you can join with SOS in the fight for Medicaid Expansion, contact Shelley Fearson at 334-262-0932 or visit the SOS website.