Healthcare

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 212: Dental insurance; set medical loss ratio for insurers

HB 212 requires dental insurers in Alabama to spend at least 75% of premiums on actual dental care claims for individual plans and 83% for group plans. Insurers failing to meet these "dental loss ratio" thresholds must refund excess premiums to policyholders. The bill mandates annual financial reporting to the Insurance Commissioner, including detailed breakdowns of claims payments, premiums collected, and excluded overhead expenses (like marketing or administrative costs). These reports must be made publicly available on the Department of Insurance website, increasing transparency for consumers. The bill applies specifically to standalone dental insurance plans, excluding self-funded plans and medical insurance bundles.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires dental insurers to spend ≥75% of premiums on claims, mandating refunds for non-compliance and improving consumer coverage transparency.90% confidence

Track

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 258: Wheelchair repair; establishing time restrictions to ensure prompt repair, to require Medicaid coverage of repair, and to require manufacturers of motorized wheelchairs to provide necessary documentation, parts, and tools to independent repair providers

HB 258 requires timely repair of customized manual or motorized wheelchairs, directly affecting elderly and disabled users who rely on these devices. It mandates that repair providers complete repairs within 10 business days (with specific deadlines for assessment and part ordering), eliminates the need for new prescriptions or prior authorization for repairs from Medicaid or private insurance, and requires Medicaid to cover medically necessary repairs. The bill also forces wheelchair manufacturers to supply parts, tools, and documentation to independent repair shops on the same terms as their own authorized providers, and violations would be treated as deceptive trade practices. These changes aim to reduce repair delays and improve access to essential mobility equipment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates Medicaid coverage for wheelchair repairs, directing state funds toward essential services for disabled users without new taxes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires Medicaid coverage for wheelchair repairs without prior authorization, improving access to essential medical devices for disabled users.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Tags People with Disabilities

Track

passed · Alabama · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 84: Incarceration; to require the Alabama Department of Public Health to adopt and enforce sanitation standards for food services in corrections facilities, county, and municipal jails

SB 84 requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to establish and enforce sanitation standards for food services in state correctional facilities, county jails, and municipal jails. The bill mandates regular inspections of food preparation, storage, and serving areas, and obligates facilities to correct identified violations. It grants the Department authority to issue sanitation scores and prescribe corrective actions but prohibits suspending food services without approval from the facility's governing body (e.g., the Corrections Commissioner for state facilities or local government for county/municipal jails). The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates sanitation standards for food services in correctional facilities, improving inmate health/safety conditions and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates sanitation standards for food services in correctional facilities under public health authority, directly supporting public health program implementation and inmate health protection.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Public Health

Track

in committee · Alabama · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 299: Board of Respiratory Therapy; composition, powers, authorities revised; requirements for licensure revised; criminal penalties for certain actions provided

HB 299 would update Alabama's regulations for respiratory therapists by allowing them to practice under the direction of advanced practice healthcare providers (such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants) in addition to physicians. The bill revises licensing requirements, adds a member to the Alabama State Board of Respiratory Therapy, and creates temporary licenses for new practitioners. It also establishes criminal penalties for fraudulently obtaining a license or falsely claiming to be a licensed respiratory therapist. These changes directly affect respiratory therapists, healthcare facilities, and the state board governing the profession.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands respiratory therapists' scope to practice under advanced providers (NPs/PAs), improving patient access to respiratory care services without restricting coverage or funding.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · Alabama · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SB 80: Hospitals, additional licensing requirements provided, emergency department physician on site at all times required

SB 80 requires all Alabama hospitals with emergency departments (regardless of classification) to have at least one physician physically present and responsible for the emergency department at all times it is open. This requirement becomes a condition for hospital licensing and renewal under Alabama law. The bill directly affects every hospital operating an emergency department in the state. It takes effect on October 1, 2026, and does not change current staffing levels beyond ensuring a physician is on-site during all open hours.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires physician presence in ERs to ensure immediate care access and patient safety, strengthening emergency department standards per licensing requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 115: Physicians, rural physicians income tax credit, replace existing credit

HB 115 replaces Alabama's existing rural physician tax credit with a new program. It ends the current $5,000 annual credit (set to expire in 2028) by moving the termination date to December 31, 2026, while allowing physicians who used the old credit for fewer than five years to continue claiming it under the new rules through 2026. The new credit provides $10,000 annually for up to four years (for tax years 2027-2031) to physicians practicing in defined rural communities (populations under 75,000, including small municipalities or unincorporated areas). Physicians must apply through the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Center Program Office, which verifies eligibility and issues certification before claiming the credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases rural physician tax credit from $5,000 to $10,000 annually, providing targeted tax relief under Taxation & Revenue.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides $10,000 annual tax credit for rural physicians to improve healthcare access in underserved areas, directly advancing provider availability in rural communities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

Track

signed · Alabama · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 156: Physician Assistants; interstate licensure compact, established

HB 156 adopts the Physician Assistant (PA) Licensure Compact, allowing PAs licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed PAs and patients across participating states, enabling easier access to care, especially for military families who can now practice across states with a single unrestricted license. Key provisions include creating a national commission to manage the compact, requiring states to share disciplinary actions and background check data, and establishing that PAs must follow the licensing rules of the state where the patient is located during care. The bill standardizes licensing requirements while maintaining each state's authority to discipline PAs under their own laws.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves licensing barriers for PAs across states, directly improving patient access to care as stated in summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

signed · Alabama · Senate Feb 6, 2026

SJR 20: Alabama Birth Equity Initiative, commended

This resolution (SJR 20) formally commends the Alabama Birth Equity Initiative, a Black women-led coalition addressing Alabama's maternal health crisis. It recognizes their work to combat high maternal mortality rates - disproportionately affecting rural, Black, and Indigenous communities - through midwifery training, mobile health units, and addressing systemic issues like medical racism and food insecurity. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but expresses legislative support for the initiative's community-centered approach to improving prenatal care and birth outcomes. It specifically highlights their focus on expanding midwifery access and "wraparound" services like housing and childcare support.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCommends Black women-led coalition addressing maternal mortality via midwifery, mobile units, and systemic racism solutions, strengthening healthcare access and equity efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

signed · Alabama · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 170: Health insurance, safe harbor created

SB 170 creates a "safe harbor" to protect health insurance plans that qualify for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) from conflicting state or federal rules. It ensures these plans remain eligible for federal HSA benefits by requiring that cost-sharing rules (like copays) only apply after the federal minimum deductible is met. The bill directly affects individuals enrolled in high-deductible health plans that allow HSA contributions, preventing state mandates or federal guidance from disqualifying their plans. It requires Alabama's Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules implementing this protection, maintaining federal HSA eligibility for enrollees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects HSA-eligible high-deductible health plans from disqualification, ensuring continued access to tax-advantaged savings for medical expenses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · Alabama · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 132: Crimes and offenses; assault in the second degree, revised

HB 132 revises Alabama's assault in the second degree law to expand protections for specific professionals during work. It adds new circumstances where assaulting peace officers (including off-duty officers in approved uniform), teachers, healthcare workers (including home health care providers), social workers, letter carriers, or children in schools during their duties constitutes second-degree assault. The bill specifies that these protections apply when the assault occurs while the victim is performing their job, with exceptions for assaults by impaired patients on healthcare workers. Assault in the second degree remains classified as a Class C felony under this revision.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands second-degree assault protections for professionals, strengthening legal safeguards in criminal justice by increasing penalties for assaulting specific workers during duties.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds teachers to protected professionals under assault law, enhancing educator safety during school duties95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly protects healthcare workers during work, aligning with topic's focus on medical professionals.80% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects healthcare, education, and social workers from assault during duties, enhancing workplace safety protections for specific professions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime