By TODD STACY, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A group of some of Alabama’s most prominent companies and organizations have formed an alliance with the mission of advancing policies that allow for “affordable, quality, and accessible healthcare for people and businesses” in the state.
The Alliance of Alabama Healthcare Consumers launched this week saying it intends to unite Alabamians behind the belief that individuals, families and businesses all benefit from having access to quality healthcare.
“Our health care system should keep more money in the pockets of hardworking Alabamians by driving down costs, fighting government overreach, and letting the free market be responsive to consumers,” the group said in a news release. “The Alliance will champion commonsense policies that promote affordable health care for all Alabamians.”
The founding members of the alliance include AT&T, Alabama Power, the Alabama Trucking Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, the Business Council of Alabama, Manufacture Alabama, NFIB, PowerSouth, Protective Life Insurance Company, Regions Bank and Shipt.
As a 501(c)4 organization, the alliance is open to additional businesses, groups, non-profits or even public sector entities, according to the release.
The alliance said its legislative advocacy will primarily be aimed at the state level, although it intends to keep federal officials apprised of state developments. The group says among the issues it wants to address include “government mandates, the ballooning cost of prescription drugs, and telemedicine.”
Information on the group’s website goes into more detail on the government mandate issue.
“The Alliance believes the free-market should drive what services are covered, not the government. Although Obamacare was passed at the Federal level, the Alliance is committed to defending employees and employers when mandates are considered at the state level,” the site reads.
See the full website at https://www.allianceofalabama.org.