News From Alabama

AARP in Your State

July-August 2009

Tracking infections — Hospitals and other health care facilities will be required to report their rates of infection to the state health department under a new law strongly supported by AARP Alabama.

The Mike Denton Infection Reporting Act (SB 89) was named in memory of the son of state Sen. Bobby Denton, D, who died from a hospital-acquired infection following routine knee surgery. The bill was approved by Gov. Bob Riley, R, in early May. Under the new law, hospitals must report data on surgical site infections, ventilator-related pneumonia and blood infections.

According to the nonprofit Consumers Union, 29 states now have similar reporting laws on the books. Hospital-acquired infections are linked to 100,000 deaths a year nationally. For more information, go to www.aarp.org/al.

June 2009

Rate hikes on horizon — Lawmakers in April passed a bill (SB 373) that, if signed into law by Gov. Bob Riley, R, will allow telephone companies to set rates for basic, no-frills service without oversight by the state's Public Service Commission.

While telecommunication providers often offer competitive pricing on bundled services—such as telephone, Internet and cable TV—many older Alabamans have basic landline phones without any extras.

AARP opposed the measure because it could result in a lack of competitive alternatives for many customers, especially in rural areas. Telephone communication helps older people maintain social contact, preserve health and safety and get assistance in an emergency. About 92 percent of Alabama households have phone service, lower than the 95.2 percent national average.

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/al.

March 2009

Follow the money — In an ongoing battle to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for overcharging Medicaid for prescription drugs, new settlements totaling $28 million have been negotiated between the state and several drug manufacturers.

Alabama Attorney General Troy King, R, announced the settlements in late 2008 as the state prepared for its fourth overcharging trial. More than 70 lawsuits have been filed against drugmakers for charging Medicaid inflated prices for prescription drugs between 1991 and 2005. Three verdicts have awarded the state more than $250 million, but all have been appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court.

For more, visit www.aarp.org/al.