New Alabama laws affect cancer, MIAs, autism

By: The Associated Press | Opelika Auburn News
Published: June 29, 2009

MONTGOMERY — New laws taking effect Wednesday in Alabama will provide more care for women with cancer, coordinate services for Alabamians with autism, and use state buildings to honor American military missing in action.
One law, approved by the Legislature in April, will make sure about 250 women annually become eligible for treatment of breast or cervical cancer through the state Medicaid program.
Previously only Medicaid-eligible women who were diagnosed at county health centers were eligible. Starting Wednesday, the new law provides coverage for women diagnosed by providers for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program or by private physicians identified by the state health department's Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
The sponsor, Rep. Lea Fite, D-Jacksonville, said the bill closes a loophole that denied coverage for women diagnosed by a family physician.
Fite said he received a letter about the loophole from a member of a cancer support group, Steel Magnolias in Calhoun County, and it tugged at his heart ``because my wife Judy is a 20-year breast cancer survivor.''
Fite described the loophole as ``a death sentence for these ladies'' because they have no private health insurance. Passing the law took two years, but for Fite, it became personal.
``This is a once in a lifetime piece of legislation,'' he said.
The state Medicaid Agency estimates the law will add about 250 women annually to the Medicaid rolls and cost about $3.7 million annually. Of that, about $835,000 will come from the state and the remainder from the federal government.
A law passed by the Legislature in May allows state-owned buildings, state parks and the state's interstate highway rest areas that have American flags to add the POW-MIA flags if the flags are available free.
The legislation's sponsor, Democratic Rep. Steve Clouse of Ozark, said veterans groups pushed the idea and plan to provide flags.
``There are still a lot of missing in action from the Vietnam era and this is very important to their families,'' said Clouse, who has the Army's aviation center, Fort Rucker, in his district.
Another new law taking effect Wednesday creates a council of government agencies to coordinate services available for autistic Alabamians.
Republican Rep. Cam Ward of Alabama, who has an autistic daughter, and Democratic Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr., who has an autistic nephew, pushed the legislation.
``Autism is not a Republican issue and it's not a Democratic issue,'' Ward said.