Alabama lawmakers to consider PTSD bill

Lawmakers in Alabama are slated Tuesday to read through a bill that would provide co-payments for treatment for first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

H.B. 67, which would apply to law enforcement officers and firefighters only, would require their employers to reimburse or maintain sufficient insurance coverage for the reimbursement of co-payments.

The bill would change state occupational disease provisions that do not include a mental disease or disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder as a compensable illness, unless a physical injury accompanies the mental disease or disorder.      

The bill would also require counties, municipalities and fire districts to provide disability payments or coverage for law enforcement officers and firefighters who are unable to return to work because of PTSD.