Monroe County Hospital is considering creating a swing bed program
UPDATE: Man charged with murder after Saenger shooting
The Social Security Act allows small, rural hospitals to use some of their beds for skilled nursing facility beds. These allow patients to transition from acute care to a skilled nursing facility without leaving the hospital, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In an application, the MCHCA said if approved, it would convert 10 acute-care beds to swing beds at the Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville.
The proposed project would require a certificate of need and is estimated to cost $345,000, according to an MCHCA news release.
According to the release, those interested in submitting a written statement or appearing before the Certificate of Need Review Board must do so by July 14, 2025, and provide a copy of the statements to Colin H. Luke, Esquire, at Holland & Knight LLP, 1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1400, Birmingham, Ala., 35203.
UPDATE: Federal Bureau of Prisons responds to Todd Chrisley's allegations about FPC Pensacola
The application number is AL2025-013.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
What the Future of Medicaid and Medicare Could Look Like
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On this day 60 years ago, the Medicaid and Medicare programs were signed into law by former President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was July 30, 1965, and both programs were established within the Social Security Act. Designed as federal programs to assist the elderly, disabled individuals and those with low income, both have grown into the largest sources of health care coverage in the country. Tens of millions of Americans rely on the programs, and they have protected the country's most vulnerable populations for over six decades now. Before the programs were established, around half of all Americans over 65 had no means of medical insurance, forcing them to pay hefty prices or forgo care entirely. Nowadays, that figure has dropped significantly. "Medicare and Medicaid have been enormous policy successes that have increased Americans' health and longevity while improving financial protections for older Americans," Lauren Nicholas, a health economist at University of Colorado, Denver, told Newsweek. "These programs also support our medical workforce through stable funding and by underwriting graduate medical education," she added. Inevitably, the programs have been shaped by different governmental administrations over the years, and as the programs turn 60, many more political changes are set to alter the course of Medicaid and Medicare's future. In light of the programs' landmark anniversary, Newsweek has spoken to experts about what is in store for the programs in the coming years during the term of President Donald Trump. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva Cutting Down on "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" Starting with the appointment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a key focus of the Trump administration has been removing "waste, fraud and abuse" from the federal health care programs. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report from 2024 found that in 2023, $100 billion was spent in "improper payments"––payments that "should not have been made or were made in the incorrect amount"––across the Medicare and Medicaid programs. GAO said this represented 43 percent of the governmentwide total of estimated "improper payments" that agencies reported for that year. In order to reduce the incidence of these "improper payments," the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency proposed measures such as an initial validation of applicants' identities, eliminating self-certification, and monitoring the programs through improved technology. Analysis of 2024 enrollment data also revealed there were 2.8 million Americans either enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in multiple states, or simultaneously enrolled in both Medicaid or CHIP and a subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) Exchange plan, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As a result, CMS said it would take action to ensure individuals are only enrolled in one program, vowing to "continue to crush fraud, waste, and abuse in America's health care programs." Although, while in principle boosting efficiency and transparency while reducing costs, these changes may also have less desirable impacts on beneficiaries in the future, experts have warned. "Research suggests that the people who will lose coverage from this policy will mostly be working or have serious health problems and should still be in the program," Dr. Benjamin Sommers, a professor of health care economics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Newsweek. "The 'savings' here are not from reducing fraud, but from kicking people off of Medicaid to become uninsured and struggle to afford medical care," he added. "It's a perennial political motto and goal," Tim Westmoreland, a retired professor of health law and policy from Georgetown Law, told Newsweek. "Politicians often say that they are making eligibility requirements more stringent in order to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, but research has shown repeatedly that this mostly disqualifies people who would be eligible if they could find their way through complex mazes of paperwork," he added. He went on to say it saves "comparatively little money"—the real savings come from "investigating and prosecuting providers, for example, doctors who overcharge, or pharmaceutical companies that game their prices, or medical equipment suppliers who don't deliver, or managed care companies that underserve." Newsweek has contacted CMS via email for comment. "Big Beautiful Bill" Cuts and Requirements Medicare and Medicaid's 60th birthday comes only a few weeks after the passing of Trump's major budget legislation—the "One Big Beautiful Bill." The bill includes the largest funding cuts to the two federal programs in U.S. history, and Medicaid will bear the brunt of this with $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade. The White House has said the bill "protects and strengthens Medicaid for those who rely on it—pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families—while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse." The Trump administration said that by "eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse" in the Medicaid program, resources can then be refocused on "providing better care for those whom the program was designed to serve: pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, low-income seniors, and other vulnerable low-income families." Overall, the bill "protects Medicaid for the truly vulnerable," the White House added, and said that those with disabilities receiving Medicaid "will receive no loss or change in coverage." On the subject of Medicare, the White House said the federal program "had not been touched in this bill—absolutely nothing in the bill reduces spending on Medicare benefits." "This legislation does not make a single cut to welfare programs—it safeguards and protects these programs for all eligible Americans," the White House added. In regard to Medicaid, the bill will see the introduction of work requirements, so those eligible for the program will have to work a total of 80 hours a month, unless exempt. The bill eliminates enhanced federal matching funds for Medicaid services provided to undocumented immigrants—a measure that affects states offering such coverage, including California, New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont. All 40 states that expanded the Medicaid service under the ACA will also be affected by the bill. They will face a reduced federal match rate, requiring states to shoulder a greater share of the costs. A number of other changes to the Medicaid program include a restriction in funding for Medicaid-covered family planning services that offer abortions, like Planned Parenthood, and a requirement for eligibility to be redetermined every 6 months instead of every 12 months. Fewer changes have been made to Medicare. These include a narrowing of eligibility to exclude undocumented immigrants and anticipated reductions in federal reimbursements to health care providers, which could affect which prescription drugs are covered by the program. How these changes will shape the future of the programs is not overly positive, according to experts that spoke to Newsweek, and there have been frequent warnings that millions of Americans will lose their health coverage as a result. Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, deemed the changes to Medicaid "potentially dramatic," telling Newsweek "millions of Americans will lose Medicaid and, with it, their access to health care." "Millions of people will likely lose coverage due to increasing red tape from work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks," Sommers added. "States will lose one of the ways they currently pay for their share of the Medicaid expansion, so we will likely see additional cuts from states that may lead to fewer people covered and reduced benefits." Lower income people will be most impacted, Mark Pauly, a professor of health care management at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told Newsweek. "They will have to jump more hoops to keep Medicaid insurance—some who are not sick may decide it is not worth the trouble," he added. On the subject of work requirements, Dr. Susan Goold, a professor of internal medicine and health management and policy at the University of Michigan, told Newsweek evidence has shown that, under work requirement programs, "employment does not increase, people who are eligible are nonetheless dropped, and administering the program costs states money." "Changes to the federal share of Medicaid spending will cause states to either cut enrollment, cut benefits, cut payments to providers or greatly increase their spending," she said. While Medicaid is more directly affected by the bill than Medicare, Pauly said that "Medicare's time will come when provider reimbursements are cut so much that fewer doctors will accept it." Goold added that Medicare will also be indirectly affected by the bill, such as via increases in income tax deductions, including for seniors on social security, which "means less revenue to both Medicare and Social Security." "That speeds up the trajectory toward insolvency, unless future cuts are made to benefits," she said. Also, provider payment rate changes may "make it more difficult for Medicare enrollees to find providers," Goold added. At a time when Medicaid and Medicare popularity is at all-time high, the new tax bill was found to be somewhat unfavorable throughout the county, according to a KFF study, suggesting the federal health programs could have a rocky future as public opinion and policy decision clash. Shafer said: "This bill has been described as 'the biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever,' when families are still struggling to bounce back from years of higher inflation and the economy is showing signs of slowing down." Hospital Closures As Medicaid cuts will reduce the number of Americans with insurance, there will be "fewer people who can pay for health care, making it harder for hospitals, nursing homes, and other practices to stay in business," Nicholas said. "We are already starting to see facilities cut back service lines and staffing that they don't think that they can maintain," she added. Shafer warned that "stopping the enforcement of minimum staffing levels in nursing homes means that we won't see patient safety and care improve in ways it could have, keeping seniors at risk in understaffed facilities." Nicholas said that 25 percent of nursing homes are expected to close as a result, which could "leave frail older adults who need a lot of care with nowhere to go." "I worry that Americans will see the first signs of these changes through their pocketbooks and their own health, having to wait longer to get doctor appointments and losing access to local hospitals and providers," she added. Estimates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has suggested that over 300 rural hospitals could close with all but four states affected. The White House said that rural hospitals comprise 7 percent of all hospital spending on Medicaid, "illustrating that they have not benefited from the massive increase in waste, fraud, and abuse under the Biden administration." "By strengthening Medicaid, we are making more resources available for vulnerable populations and safety net providers, like rural hospitals," the White House said. "We are expanding rural hospital protection, providing targeted funds for rural care, and giving states flexibility to support local providers." While $50 billion has been allocated in Trump's bill over five years to all states for a variety of purposes, including payments to rural facilities, the options states have to protect rural health care are not without their complexities, experts previously told Newsweek. The Future For Medicare and Medicaid In light of the significant, even historic, changes being made to the programs under the Trump administration, the future of Medicaid and Medicare remains uncertain. Aside from major government changes, CMS has also been announcing further changes to both programs in recent weeks, largely focused on reducing federal taxpayer costs and clamping down on issues that fall under the umbrella of "waste, fraud and abuse." This includes an end to expanded continuous eligibility for Medicaid, which allowed some people to remain enrolled for a period of time, even if they were no longer qualified, as CMS vowed to "restore accountability and safeguard the long-term integrity of Medicaid and CHIP." CMS also said in May it would "close a Medicaid tax loophole exploited by states to inflate federal payments to states, and free up state funds for non-Medicaid purposes," as well as launching a "significant expansion of its auditing efforts for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans." The impact of all of these changes remains to be seen, but one thing that appears to be quite clear is that, while less Americans may have access to the programs in the years to come, Medicaid and Medicare will continue to remain critical to many.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Mobile apartment complex overrun with trash and critters
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) —Garbage piling up, safety hazards, and wildlife roaming the grounds have all become commonplace, a tenant from the Crossings at Pinebrook says. Residents wake up to find Jubilee in Fairhope Residents say their complaints have been ignored, but News 5 was able to get some answers. Management blames the problem on a broken trash compactor and says they are working to resolve the problem. One resident who did not want her name or face shown said the trash problem is out of control. 'Mattresses, tires, like bags of like, seafood boils everywhere. So it smells, it smells bad, but think about it. It's so hot, and then you've got trash down in the sun,' she said. She said the garbage is also attracting some unwanted visitors around the apartment. 'We've had vultures, raccoons, possums. People think I'm joking, I say, no, no. They literally fly over the trash. This isn't a zoo,' she explained. While the area by the trash compactor has the largest amount of garbage, this resident said it's not her only concern, as there are a number of other trash bags, littered items, and food scattered throughout the complex. 'You see how filthy this is? I hate to say it, but this is a good day for this apartment,' she said. The garbage isn't the only complaint she's had that's gone unaddressed by the apartment. There's a number of safety issues including downed stop signs, huge potholes, and exposed wires throughout the complex. 'There's supposed to be a stop sign right there. And this is a safety issue because, again, not just kids, but people walk through here all the time,' she continued. Residents say they just want basic upkeep before conditions get any worse. Foshee Residential is the management company for the Crossings at Pinebrook. A spokesperson shared a message with us that was sent to residents today. 'We understand that the recent issues with the trash collection have been frustrating for everyone, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused,' the statement read. Correctional officer trainee arrested on drug charges in Monroe County: ADOC Foshee asked the residents for patience until the problem is fixed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Yahoo
Social Security Garnishment Began on July 24 for Potentially 1,000,000-Plus Beneficiaries -- Here's How You Can Legally Avoid or Reduce It
Key Points A number of changes have been made to Social Security since President Trump took office a little over six months ago. A 50% clawback rate on Social Security overpayments -- a fivefold increase from Joe Biden's presidency -- is now officially in place. Beneficiaries who've been overpaid have a trio of legal options available that can waive or reduce their Social Security repayment liability. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Next month will mark the 90th anniversary since the Social Security Act was signed into law. Its goal was to provide a financial floor for aged workers who were no longer able to provide for themselves. Nine decades later, an overwhelming majority of the 53 million retired workers who receive a monthly benefit from Social Security count on this income to make ends meet. In each of the last 24 years, national pollster Gallup has surveyed retirees to gauge how reliant they are on their Social Security income. In April, a combined 86% noted it was needed, in some capacity, to cover their expenses. For aging workers, along with workers with disabilities and survivor beneficiaries, nothing holds more importance than knowing how much they'll be receiving on a monthly basis from the Social Security Administration (SSA). But for potentially more than 1 million beneficiaries, their monthly Social Security check is now enduring a significant haircut. Donald Trump's administration aims to claw back Social Security overpayments Since President Donald Trump began his second nonconsecutive term a little over six months ago, a multitude of changes have been made to America's leading retirement program. Some of these changes include the end to paper checks by Sept. 30, 2025 (via a Trump executive order), as well as beefed-up personal identification measures for beneficiaries. But the biggest Social Security changes undertaken by the Trump administration have to do with the reinstatement/adjustment of two garnishments. For instance, the president's administration has suggested that, by "sometime this summer," garnishments of up to 15% may recommence for delinquent federal student loan borrowers who are receiving a Social Security benefit. However, clawing back benefits from those who've been overpaid by the SSA is now in full effect, as of July 24. According to the SSA's Office of the Inspector General, approximately $23 billion in Social Security overpayments remained uncollected at the end of fiscal 2023 (the federal government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30). With President Trump making government inefficiency one of his primary focuses, the SSA is being tasked with collecting overpayments from nearly 2 million beneficiaries (as of the end of fiscal 2023), per Cox Media Group and KFF. During Joe Biden's presidency, the garnishment rate for overpayments was lowered to just 10%, which is well below the 100% clawback rate present during Barack Obama's presidency and Donald Trump's first term. In March 2025, the SSA announced plans to reintroduce the 100% garnishment rate, but ultimately halved it to 50% following public backlash. The SSA began sending out notices to those who've been overpaid on April 25, which provided these folks with a 90-day grace period to "request a lower rate of withholding, a reconsideration, or waiver." This 90-day grace period ended on July 24, which means at least some of these 1 million-plus beneficiaries are now seeing 50% of their monthly benefit check garnished to satisfy their overpayment. There are three ways to legally avoid or reduce a Social Security garnishment caused by overpayment In some instances, Social Security overpayments are entirely the fault of the SSA. In other cases, it could be the end result of a beneficiary failing to update their income. For example, non-blind workers with disabilities can earn up to $1,620 per month in 2025 without their Social Security disability benefits stopping. But if a worker generates more income than $1,620/month and fails to report it to the SSA, they'll be paid more than they're due. Knowing where the fault for the overpayment lies can have a significant impact on your ability to potentially avoid or reduce how much you'll have to pay back. The SSA offers three perfectly legal options for beneficiaries to satisfy their overpayment beyond just paying back the full amount immediately. The most desirable of the three options is getting the overpayment completely waived by the SSA. Form SSA-632BK ("Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery") is an option when the overpayment wasn't your fault and it would create a financial hardship to pay back the extra benefits you received. You'll likely need to supply documentation of your qualified expenses to verify your financial hardship. If approved by the SSA, your SSA-632BK request will completely waive any liability for your overpayment. The second completely legal option available to overpaid beneficiaries is to file Form SSA-561 ("Request for Reconsideration"). Some beneficiaries who take this route are doing so with the goal of getting their overpayment liability waived. You'll need to provide evidence to the SSA that you haven't been overpaid, and if the agency agrees, it'll waive your liability. SSA-561 is also an option in instances where beneficiaries admit they've been overpaid, but who simply don't agree with the amount the SSA is asking for in repayment. Once again, you'll have to provide evidence of the amount you believe you've been overpaid, and if the SSA agrees, it'll reduce your overpayment liability. The third legal option for overpaid beneficiaries is Form SSA-634 ("Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate"). This is the best option for beneficiaries who freely admit they've been overpaid, but who would struggle with a financial hardship if 50% of their monthly Social Security income were garnished. Filing Form SSA-634 will require beneficiaries to provide documentation of their qualified expenses to establish a financial hardship. Though the SSA typically aims to collect overpayments within 12 months, the agency will, on occasion, extend repayments out to 60 months. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Social Security Garnishment Began on July 24 for Potentially 1,000,000-Plus Beneficiaries -- Here's How You Can Legally Avoid or Reduce It was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
