New Alabama laws will provide Medicaid care for women with breast and cervical cancer and coordinate government services for those with autism effective as of July 1.
Before July 1, women suffering from breast or cervical cancer who were not enrolled in the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, were not eligible for Medicaid funding for treatment. The ABCCEDP provides screenings and other services like mammograms and pap smears to uninsured women who live 200 percent or more below the poverty level.
"Once the diagnosis has kicked in, the cost in unbelievable. Any funding giving that can offset the cost is needed," said Velinda Wheeles, breast cancer survivor and founder of the 'Think Pink' Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Opelika.
Colleen Alsobrook, the breast cancer center navigator for the East Alabama Medical Clinic, said there is still work to be done. "There are still a lot of women who aren't getting mammograms," she said. "There is a lot of preventive medicine that needs to be there. Early detection is so essential in having a cure rate."
Alsobrook said that even with an annual free mammogram day for under served women, there are still a large number of women who are not being tested because they are unaware of the benefits they are eligible for.
"The new funding for treatment] does help a lot but there are women who aren't even being screened. We still have a long way to go," Alsobrook said.
Mayor Bill Ham Jr., agrees that preventative medicine is beneficial to patients and the community. "I think anything that is done toward prevention and care is better for the patient as well as monetarily productive. Prevention is better and cheaper than treatment," he said.
The new legislation to coordinate government services for Alabamians with autism gives Julie Brown, parent of an autistic child and former special education teacher, hope. Brown said the needs she sees most in the community are respite care in the home, ongoing training for teachers and support staff in the schools and community and school system programs for children with higher functioning autism.
"The teachers that come in do have a lot of training, more than they used to have in the past, but they need ongoing training and support. They are excellent at what they do, but it would be helpful for there to be continued training," Brown said. "I don't expect huge change overnight. I expect little-by-little change. I would love huge overnight change, but that is just not realistic. I think change will come, and as a parent of an autistic child, I'm very appreciate that the governor signed the law and for the legislative representatives for fighting for this."
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