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Alfa Health Plans legislation to provide an affordable health care option for Alabama farmers was considered by the Senate Banking and Insurance (B&I) Committee this week during a public hearing.
HB 477 by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, and companion bill SB 84 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would authorize the Alabama Farmers Federation to offer Alfa Health Plans as a possible cost-cutting, member-benefit option. HB 477 is modeled after Farm Bureau plans passed in 10 other states. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the House last Thursday and is expected to receive a committee vote next week.
Federation External Affairs Department Director Brian Hardin encouraged Federation members to attend the meeting and ask their senators to vote “yes” on the bill and “no” to additional amendments.
"We have worked with Rep. Faulkner and other groups to make sure this is the best health plan bill in the country," Hardin said. "As HB 477 moves to the Senate, the Federation looks forward to standing with Sen. Orr as he leads the bill through the final stages. We are grateful to Sen. Orr for bringing this idea to us over two years ago. Now everything is coming full circle as we look to him to get this monumental legislation across the finish line. We need Federation members to share why this bill is important with their senators and encourage them to stand with Alabama farmers. The presence of our members at the State House has made a difference in the House Health Committee, full House and Senate B&I hearing. Senators need to see their farmers in the room again next week."
HB 477 is expected to be voted on by the Senate B&I Committee Tuesday, April 22, at 10 a.m., in the Finance and Taxation Room on the eighth floor of the Alabama State House.
Hardin said questions and concerns raised by state lawmakers, specifically regarding consumer protections, have been heard and addressed in the current legislation.
“We have worked with Rep. Faulkner to make 18 specific changes to HB 477 to address questions and concerns and have robust consumer protections for Federation members,” Hardin said. “These are self-funded plans, which are not covered by the Alabama Department of Insurance (ALDOI), as pointed out by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, last week during the House vote. Groups seeking to add more amendments to the bill at this stage are not trying to improve the legislation. They're trying to kill it. We ask senators to look past this distraction and vote with farmers in their districts.”
During Wednesday's meeting, Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino, said there is no need for increased regulation by ALDOI because the plans are designed with strong protection measures in place.
Farmers shared their need for Alfa Health Plans directly with state lawmakers during the public hearing.
As a farm wife and mom to three young boys, Jefferson County’s Christy Nelson told lawmakers her family needs Alfa Health Plans for peace of mind and to support their growing business.
“With the option of an Alfa Health Plan, we could have peace of mind knowing that we can afford great health care while continuing to grow our business, and this momma can cross one less worry off her list,” Nelson said. “We are penalized for growing our business. Rather than supporting farmers and small business owners, the current system discourages investment, job creation and success. I ask you to stand with Alabama farm families like mine and approve Alfa Health Plans legislation without further delays or amendments.”
Faulkner said the bill would provide relief to struggling farmers.
“These farm families that you see in this room, from many of your districts, and many more are struggling with this issue of affording health care,” Faulkner told the committee. “We have the opportunity to help the farmers and small business owners who are the heart of our communities and districts by allowing the Federation to offer Alfa Health Plans for its members. This bill offers the most consumer protections, the strongest coverage guarantees, the most oversight and the greatest financial contribution to state budgets. These plans could mean economic survival for some of our farmers.”
Farmers like Pike County’s Steve Stroud are facing increasing health care costs on top of volatile markets and high input prices. However, as farmers continue to feed and clothe their communities, Stroud said financial burdens are threatening to run them out of business.
“We had to go to the marketplace and learned that the insurance coverage we were originally paying $300 a month for was now going to cost $2,500 a month or $30,000 annually,” Stroud said. “There are three great occupations that are the backbone of this great country we live in. First and foremost are the men and women of our military, and second are our teachers and educators. Last is our hard-working farm families. The first two I mentioned have some of the best health care coverage that anyone can have at little to no cost while farmers are stuck paying outrageous premiums for mediocre coverage. I urge you to support this legislation for our farm families.”
Also speaking in favor of HB 477 was Henry County farmer Emmanuel Bankston. Bankston, who serves as vice chairman of the Federation’s State Young Farmers Committee, said young farmers across the state are wrestling with how to handle health care costs.
“You’re having to pay two house mortgages for health care coverage if you’re a young farm family trying to make a living,” Bankston said. “If we have an opportunity to reduce health care costs, then we’ve done something positive for the industry. I talk about where I grew up at and the people I learned about agriculture from, and they’re not there anymore. All those farms are gone. The next generation did not come back because of challenges like these.”
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