Issue: Health

Federal funding cuts would increase hunger and hardship across Alabama

By Carol Gundlach

Congress is advancing a cruel proposal to take away food assistance, health coverage and other vital services from millions of Americans who struggle to afford basic needs.

Why? To give huge tax cuts to the wealthiest people in the country. The bill’s proposed $1.1 trillion of cuts to food assistance and health care over the next decade would be equal to the amount of tax cuts it would provide for the wealthiest 2% of households, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Congressional leaders are pushing the bill through budget reconciliation, a process that bypasses the Senate filibuster and allows legislation to pass with a simple majority vote. That process is ongoing and fluid. The U.S. House voted 215-214 for the bill in late May. By the time you read this, the Senate may have made many changes, some for the better and others for the worse.

The specifics may change, but the bill’s brutal core will remain the same. It will increase suffering for millions of Americans with low incomes to finance tax breaks for wealthy households and highly profitable corporations.

An existential threat to SNAP in Alabama

Alabama likely would feel the worst effects from proposed cuts to food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP helps more than 42 million people nationwide and nearly 800,000 Alabamians put food on the table.

Now, Congress and the White House are threatening those families’ meals in an effort to reduce taxes for billionaires. Three major proposed SNAP changes would have devastating effects on Alabama.

(1) The bill likely would require Alabama to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more for SNAP benefits and administrative costs. The federal government has funded 100% of SNAP benefits for decades. Under the new cost shift, Alabama would become responsible for a projected $258 million or more in direct benefit costs annually, plus an additional $35 million a year in administrative costs.

The General Fund is already facing increasing costs and often stagnant revenues. There is real reason to be concerned that the Legislature can’t, or wouldn’t, commit this money. In that case, Alabama would be forced to cut SNAP benefits significantly – or even eliminate the program altogether.

(2) Congress also is considering expanding SNAP current time limits and work verification red tape for an additional 165,000 Alabamians, including parents with children over age 7. A change of this magnitude would create additional burdens for Alabama’s already stretched child care and child welfare systems. And it could leave thousands of Alabama children and families without food.

(3) Congress is considering limiting future growth in the value of SNAP benefits. Over time, this would reduce benefits for nearly 800,000 SNAP participants in Alabama, including more than 300,000 children, even as food costs continue to grow.

The economic devastation of SNAP cuts

SNAP cuts not only would hurt Alabama’s people. They also would damage Alabama’s economy. More than 5,000 Alabama stores are authorized to accept SNAP payments, and for many, it’s a large part of their business. This is particularly true in small towns and rural communities where retail is a major source of jobs and tax revenue.

Every $1 in SNAP benefits can generate $1.50 in economic activity in local communities, the USDA estimates. Deep SNAP cuts could force layoffs or closures at grocery stores and other retailers across our state. A reduction or loss of SNAP benefits is a threat to our economy and the local communities where we all live and shop.

Threats to Medicaid and ACA coverage

The bill also would make health care inaccessible or less affordable for tens of millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of Alabamians. It would allow enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to expire, increasing premium costs for marketplace plans.

In addition, the bill would create new barriers that would limit Alabama’s ability to manage its own Medicaid program in the future. For example, the legislation would eliminate the federal incentives set aside to help states like Alabama cover the first two years of Medicaid expansion.

Alabama is one of 10 states yet to expand Medicaid to cover adults with low incomes. As a result, nearly 200,000 Alabamians are in the health coverage gap, earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance.

The bill also would freeze provider taxes at current levels. This would ban Alabama from increasing fees on nursing homes, ambulance providers and others to fund Medicaid costs – even if legislators find that move necessary to sustain the program or expand coverage later.

Now is the time to speak out

It is not too late for us, as Alabamians and Alabama Arise members, to raise our voices against this dreadful bill. Congress is hearing the opposition from people back home, and that pressure continues to grow. The bill’s margin for passage is tight, and only a few votes can make a difference.

Please call on your U.S. representative and senators to say “no” to deep cuts to food assistance and health care. Ask them to focus instead on legislation that advances tax equity and meets essential health and nutrition needs in our communities.

HB 177: A case study in Alabama Arise advocacy

By Whitney Washington

 

Text for this infographic is in text of post.

Alabama Arise successfully leaped into action this year to defend health coverage for thousands of children. In February 2025, Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, introduced HB 177, which would have required that a child covered by Medicaid be placed on a non-custodial parent’s employer-provided health insurance when available, regardless of whether the parent could afford it. The bill also would have required Alabama Medicaid to sue parents who did not do so for payments made on the child’s behalf. Arise went into action.

Policy analysis: Looking for the devil in the details

After reading HB 177’s worrisome language, Arise senior policy analyst Carol Gundlach and other staff got to work on assessing its repercussions. As written, HB 177 would have:

  • Required Alabama Medicaid to sue many parents.
  • Put many parents who were already struggling into medical debt.
  • Forced some victims of domestic violence into contact with their abusers.

Lawmakers turn to Arise for answers

On Feb. 19, the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee debated HB 177. Arise’s Robyn Hyden spoke in opposition. 

“One example … is a friend [whose] take-home pay is $600 a week. … So she could opt in to pay for health insurance through her employer, [but] it would take more than one-third of her paycheck,” she said. 

Many committee members raised questions about the bill’s potential harms. Acting committee chair Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Phenix City, urged the sponsor to collaborate with Arise regarding our concerns.

Our members take action

At Cover Alabama’s advocacy day, Irondale resident Angelica McCain – equipped and encouraged by Arise – shared her story of being a single mother in the health coverage gap.

“There are so many people that benefit from Medicaid who don’t fit the stereotype,” McCain said. “We live in rural Alabama, and we live in cities. We’re white, Black, it doesn’t matter. They’re people like me, just trying to do our best for our kids.”

Later that day, she spoke directly to Robbins to explain how HB 177 would harm her family. In all, nearly 100 of our advocates visited their lawmakers that day.

Harm mitigation: Advocating for amendments

Arise continued speaking with legislators about HB 177. Robbins ultimately proposed a substitute version that removed some of the bill’s most harmful impacts. The substitute added an affordability test and clarified that the insurance requirements would not apply to custodial parents.

A quiet but mighty win

Sometimes a legislative win is obvious: A good bill is enacted into law. Other times, it looks more like stopping a bad bill or mitigating the harm it would cause. In the case of HB 177, Arise identified a bill that would have hurt vulnerable Alabamians. Then we successfully advocated to make it less harmful – and ultimately, the bill died.

This is just one example of the kind of critical legislative victories that Arise regularly secures for families across Alabama. Your advocacy and support of our work makes it all possible!

U.S. House budget bill would hammer struggling Alabama families

By Chris Sanders

The U.S. House voted 215-214 Thursday for a budget bill that would make basic needs like food and health care more expensive for millions of families through severe cuts to food assistance, Medicaid and other human services. These funding cuts would finance efforts to renew or expand tax cuts for wealthy people and highly profitable corporations.

Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden issued the following statement Friday in response:

“It’s wrong to hurt people who are struggling to help people who are already doing well. But the U.S. House just voted for a budget bill that would do exactly that.

“This cruel budget plan would take away food assistance, health coverage and other vital services from hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who struggle to afford basic needs. And it would make those cuts in service of slashing taxes for billionaires and highly profitable corporations. The bill’s $1.1 trillion of cuts to food assistance and health care over the next decade would be equal to the amount of tax breaks it would provide for the wealthiest 2% of households.

Text at the top: Alabama Arise news release: U.S. House budget bill would hammer struggling Alabama families. In the image below, a mother looks at a long receipt in the foreground. In the background, a father opens grocery bags on a kitchen table while their two young children stand to either side of him.

Threats to nutrition, health care

“Alabama likely would feel the worst effects from cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP benefits have been fully federally funded for decades, but this bill would change that. As a result of this cost shift to states, Alabama would be on the hook to pay nearly $300 million a year in direct benefits and additional administrative costs.

“There is real reason to worry that the Legislature can’t or wouldn’t provide this additional funding. In that case, Alabama would be forced to cut SNAP benefits significantly – or even eliminate the program altogether for nearly 800,000 participants statewide. These cuts would send hunger soaring and devastate the economy in local communities across Alabama.

“The House bill also would make health care inaccessible or less affordable for hundreds of thousands of Alabamians. It would allow enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire, increasing premium costs for marketplace plans. It also would take away the additional federal incentives for the first two years of Medicaid expansion that Alabama left on the table, increasing the chances that hundreds of thousands of our neighbors will remain stuck in the health coverage gap with no options to afford life-saving care.

“The Senate should put the future and well-being of all of us ahead of tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected. That means rejecting the House bill’s harmful service cuts for working people and tax giveaways to wealthy households. Our senators should focus instead on building an economy that works for everyone in Alabama and across our country.”

More resources

Read the February letter from Alabama Arise and 111 partner organizations urging Alabama’s congressional delegation to oppose harmful cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Read the January letter from Alabama Arise and 55 partner organizations urging Alabama’s congressional delegation to oppose further tax cuts for wealthy people.

Alabama Arise praises new maternal health, paid parental leave laws

By Chris Sanders
Gov. Kay Ivey sits behind a wooden desk with her nameplate on it and U.S. and Alabama flags in the background. Smiling people stand behind and to both sides of her. Behind her is wooden paneling and walls with a gray and white pattern. The patterned carpet is dark red and orange.
Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden (fifth from right) and worker policy advocate Dev Wakeley (sixth from right) participated in Gov. Kay Ivey’s bill signing ceremony for SB 199 on May 1, 2025, at the State Capitol in Montgomery. SB 199 will ensure paid parental leave for teachers, two-year college workers and state employees. (Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor)

Tens of thousands of Alabama families will benefit from two new laws removing barriers to health coverage and increasing the availability of paid parental leave. Gov. Kay Ivey held a ceremonial bill signing Thursday at the State Capitol in Montgomery for both bills: SB 102, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, and SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile. The governor officially signed both bills into law last month.

Alabama Arise staff were proud to participate in the ceremonies for both bills. Improving health care access and ensuring paid parental leave are two key legislative priorities that Arise members advocated for during the Legislature’s 2025 regular session.

Official event photos from the Governor’s Office are available here.

Presumptive eligibility will reduce red-tape barriers to Medicaid coverage

SB 102, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, will expand health care access for thousands of expectant mothers by allowing them to receive Medicaid coverage earlier in their pregnancy. The law will take effect Oct. 1.

The new law will expand presumptive eligibility, which allows doctors and other providers to determine Medicaid eligibility for expectant mothers who are likely to be eligible. This process allows women to begin receiving Medicaid coverage and prenatal medical care in the first trimester without having to wait for the agency’s official eligibility decision.

Gov. Kay Ivey sits behind a wooden desk with her nameplate on it and U.S. and Alabama flags in the background. Smiling people stand behind and to both sides of her. Behind her is wooden paneling and walls with a gray and white pattern. The patterned carpet is dark red and orange.
Alabama Arise senior health policy advocate Jennifer Harris (fifth from right) and executive director Robyn Hyden (seventh from right) participated in Gov. Kay Ivey’s bill signing ceremony for SB 102 on May 1, 2025, at the State Capitol in Montgomery. SB 102 will expand Medicaid presumptive eligibility and allow thousands of expectant mothers in Alabama to receive health care earlier in their pregnancy. (Photo by Matt Okarmus)

“This law will save lives and money for families across Alabama,” said Robyn Hyden, executive director of Alabama Arise. “For too long, Alabama mothers have faced needless barriers to early prenatal care – care that can mean the difference between hope and heartbreak. SB 102 will lift some of those red-tape barriers at last.

“The passage of this act is a life-changing victory for moms and babies in every part of Alabama. Alabama Arise thanks Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison and Rep. Marilyn Lands for their determination and visionary leadership on this legislation. We thank every Arise member who advocated for this bill and every lawmaker who voted for it. And we thank Gov. Kay Ivey for signing it into law.”

Paid parental leave law will help families, boost worker retention

SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, will ensure paid parental leave for new parents who work as teachers, two-year college employees or state employees. The law will take effect July 1.

The new law will provide eight weeks of paid leave to mothers after childbirth, adoption of a child aged 3 or younger, stillbirth or miscarriage. Fathers will receive two weeks of paid leave in those circumstances.

Gov. Kay Ivey sits behind a wooden desk with her nameplate on it and U.S. and Alabama flags in the background. Smiling people stand behind and to both sides of her. Behind her is wooden paneling and walls with a gray and white pattern. The patterned carpet is dark red and orange.
Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden (fifth from right) and worker policy advocate Dev Wakeley (sixth from right) participated in Gov. Kay Ivey’s bill signing ceremony for SB 199 on May 1, 2025, at the State Capitol in Montgomery. (Photo by Matt Okarmus)

“Paid parental leave helps workers create and grow their families while maintaining their financial well-being,” Hyden said. “Alabama’s new law guaranteeing paid parental leave for teachers and state employees makes our state a leader in the Southeast. And it is important progress toward ensuring every parent can care for their families without scrambling to pay the bills.

“This new law will enhance the quality of life for families across Alabama. Paid leave will help improve health for babies and families, and it will ease economic stress for new parents. This policy also will improve employee retention for schools and state agencies, and it will help mothers in particular to remain in the workforce.

“Paid parental leave is a common-sense, pro-family policy that will result in a better, healthier future for everyone in our state. Alabama Arise appreciates the leadership from the legislative champions on this issue, Sen. Vivian Figures and Rep. Ginny Shaver. We appreciate Gov. Kay Ivey for highlighting paid leave as a priority in her State of the State address and for signing this bill into law. And we appreciate every legislator who voted for this law and every Arise member who advocated in support of this important investment in healthier families in Alabama.”

Arise legislative update: Week of April 21, 2025

By Alabama Arise

Arise’s Whitney Washington breaks down why HB 477, a bill to allow junk health plans, is not a solution for Alabama’s health coverage gap. HB 477 would authorize non-insurance health plans that aren’t regulated by the Alabama Department of Insurance and that could cap benefits and discriminate against people with preexisting conditions.

This bill is unfortunately gaining traction in the Legislature, and time is running short to stop it. Please contact your legislator today and tell them to vote against this harmful legislation: https://votervoice.net/CoverAlabama/Campaigns/124108/Respond

Full transcript below:

Hi, I’m Whitney Washington, communications associate with Alabama Arise. You’ve probably heard a lot from us about HB 477, the junk health plan bill. If enacted, this bill would allow farm bureaus to sell health plans to their members. While this might sound like a good thing, we disagree.

These plans are not insurance. They are not regulated by the Alabama Department of Insurance.

They can discriminate based on preexisting additions, and there is no limit on out-of-pocket costs. These plans can end up hurting the people that need them the most. HB 477, unfortunately, already passed out of the House with a disappointing 98-1 vote.

This week, it’s up in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. If it passes out there, it goes to the full Senate, so this is one of the last opportunities we have to stop this devastating bill. Please show your support and, tell your senator to vote no on HB 477.

Please consider joining Arise. If you’re already a member, tell your friends, and be sure to follow us on YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky.

Kit de herramientas de salud materna de Alabama

By Alabama Arise

“Para mejorar la salud materna, debemos concentrarnos en mejorar la salud y el acceso a la atención de todas las mujeres; no solo durante el trabajo de parto y el nacimiento, sino también antes y después del embarazo, y durante toda nuestra vida”. – Dra. Leana S. Wen

Descargue aquí una copia completa en PDF del Kit de herramientas de salud materna de Alabama. También puede acceder al PDF haciendo click en el botón “Descargar” (Download) en la parte superior de la página.

Table of contents

Introducción

¡Le damos la bienvenida al Kit de herramientas de salud materna de Alabama! Alabama Arise creó este recurso con una meta principal: darle apoyo y empoderarle para orientarse en las complejidades de la atención de salud materna en Alabama. Ya sea usted una mamá nueva, una embarazada o un/a defensor/a de intereses de salud, este kit de herramientas está diseñado para brindarle información esencial sobre salud materna, cobertura de Medicaid, acceso a la atención médica y recursos comunitarios.

Esperamos que esta guía le ayude a entender las opciones disponibles de atención médica y le dé la confianza que necesita para tomar los próximos pasos en asegurar y mantener la atención necesaria. Tenemos el compromiso de mejorar los resultados de salud materna y apoyar a las familias en todo el estado. Estamos aquí para guiarle en cada paso del proceso.

Le animamos a compartir este kit de herramientas con otros a quienes pueda beneficiar. Juntos, podemos construir un futuro más sano para las madres de Alabama y sus familias.

Trasfondo

La salud materna en Alabama enfrenta grandes desafíos. Alabama tiene una de las tasas más altas de mortalidad materna y nacimientos pretérmino en Estados Unidos. El acceso limitado a atención médica integral empeora estas disparidades, en especial para mujeres en comunidades desatendidas y rurales. Medicaid tiene un papel crucial para tratar estas brechas al cubrir más de la mitad de los nacimientos en Alabama. Sin embargo, a muchas mujeres les sigue faltando la atención continuada que necesitan.

Estadísticas clave

  • Alabama tiene la tercera tasa más alta de mortalidad materna en la nación.
  • Medicaid cubre uno de cada dos nacimientos en Alabama.
  • Las mujeres negras tienen el triple de probabilidades de morir por complicaciones de embarazo.

Acceso a la salud materna en Alabama

Alabama tiene una de las tasas más altas de desiertos de atención de maternidad en Estados Unidos. Estas son zonas donde el acceso a la atención materna es limitado o nulo. Así, muchas mujeres en zonas rurales no tienen acceso a los servicios de obstetricia necesarios. El continuo cierre de alas de maternidad, de modo específico en zonas rurales, limita aún más el acceso a atención prenatal, partos seguros y servicios de posparto.

 

Estadísticas

  • 16 de los 55 condados de Alabama considerados rurales tienen hoy hospitales que brindan servicios de obstetricia, en comparación con 45 de los 55 condados en 1980.
  • Las mujeres de Alabama viajan, en promedio, 17.4 millas y 23.5 minutos a su hospital de nacimientos más cercano.
  • Los hospitales cierran o reducen servicios debido a dificultades financieras. Esta situación es peor por la falta de expansión de Medicaid de Alabama.
  • 8.9% de los nacimientos en todo Alabama ocurren en desiertos de atención de maternidad.

Beneficios y cobertura de Medicaid

Medicaid ofrece una gama integral de servicios para apoyar la salud materna antes de la concepción, durante el embarazo y en el periodo de posparto.

Antes de la concepción

Programa Plan First

El programa Plan First de Medicaid ofrece servicios de planificación familiar a mujeres de 19 a 55 años en Alabama. Para las mujeres, el programa incluye cobertura para pruebas esenciales, métodos anticonceptivos y ayuda para planificar.

SERVICIOS CUBIERTOS POR PLAN FIRST DE MEDICAID

  • Examen anual de planificación familiar 
  • Acceso a métodos anticonceptivos (entre otros, píldoras, DIUs, diafragmas, inyecciones e implantes)
  • Ligadura de trompas (y vasectomías para hombres)
  • Análisis de laboratorio para embarazos
  • Pruebas para infecciones de transmisión sexual
  • Ayuda para planificar cuándo tener un bebé
  • Cesación de tabaquismo

Embarazo

La cobertura de salud durante el embarazo asegura el acceso a atención prenatal, que es crucial para monitorear la salud tanto de la madre como del bebé.

SERVICIOS CUBIERTOS POR MEDICAID

  • Chequeos prenatales habituales
  • Vitaminas prenatales
  • Pruebas de diagnóstico, como ultrasonidos
  • Educación de salud (como clases de preparación para el parto)
  • Servicios dentales
  • Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) (Consulte la página 13 para más información)
  • Servicios de coordinación de atención de Alabama Coordinated Health Network (ACHN) (Las pacientes deben registrarse en una ACHN antes de programar su primera cita prenatal)

Posparto

La atención posparto es esencial tanto para la madre como para el bebé. Una cobertura extendida después del nacimiento ayuda a asegurar una buena recuperación, apoyo de salud mental y acceso a la atención infantil necesaria. La cobertura posparto está disponible durante un año entero después del nacimiento o la pérdida del embarazo.

SERVICIOS CUBIERTOS POR MEDICAID

  • Chequeos posparto
  • Asesoría de salud mental para tratar la depresión posparto y otros problemas
  • Servicios de planificación familiar para ayudar a espaciar los nacimientos
  • Servicios dentales (hasta los 60 días después del nacimiento)
  • Atención infantil, que incluye vacunas, chequeos habituales y pruebas de desarrollo

Inscripción en Maternidad de Medicaid

No hay un periodo de inscripción abierta para Maternidad de Medicaid. Se puede solicitar e inscribirse en cualquier momento.

La cobertura de Medicaid se puede usar junto con la cobertura de un seguro privado. Si una mujer tiene un plan de seguro privado que no es del Marketplace, también puede inscribirse en Maternidad de Medicaid si cumple con los criterios de ingresos y elegibilidad.  Un  niño que nace de una mujer inscripta en Medicaid al momento del nacimiento es elegible para lo que se conoce como “cobertura considerada de recién nacido”. Se trata de cobertura que comienza con el nacimiento y dura un año, sin importar los cambios en el ingreso del hogar durante ese tiempo.

¿Cómo pueden recibir cobertura las mamás de Alabama?

Medicaid es un recurso vital para las mujeres embarazadas y nuevas madres en Alabama. Entender cómo cumplir los requisitos e inscribirse en Medicaid es esencial para asegurar acceso a atención médica durante el embarazo y después del nacimiento.

Criterios de elegibilidad

  1. Edad
    • Las mujeres embarazadas de Alabama de cualquier edad pueden recibir cobertura completa de Medicaid si cumplen con todos los requisitos. Las mujeres embarazadas menores de 19 años también pueden recibir cobertura completa si se tiene en cuenta el ingreso de sus padres y si cumplen con las pautas de ingreso como niña.
  2. Ingresos
    • El límite de ingresos del hogar para mujeres embarazadas es el 146 % del nivel federal de pobreza (sigla en inglés, FPL). Más información en la página 10.
  3. Ciudadanía
    • Las mujeres embarazadas deben ser ciudadanas de Estados Unidos o tener un estado inmigratorio satisfactorio para poder inscribirse.
  4. Residencia
    • Las mujeres embarazadas deben residir en Alabama para recibir beneficios de Medicaid de Alabama.

Ayuda con la elegibilidad

Pautas de ingreso de 2024

El tamaño del hogar incluye a la mujer embarazada y al niño por nacer. También puede incluir al esposo, padre y/u otros niños menores de 19 años. Esto depende de quién viva en el hogar y cómo se haga la declaración de impuestos.

Elegibilidad económica

La elegibilidad económica de Medicaid se basa en el ingreso bruto ajustado modificado (sigla en inglés MAGI), que comienza con el ingreso bruto ajustado (sigla en inglés, AGI) de una persona. El AGI es el ingreso total que se obtiene en un año después de ciertas deducciones como contribuciones de jubilación o interés de préstamos universitarios. Para determinar el MAGI, la solicitante debe agregar al AGI ingreso extranjero sin impuestos, beneficios exentos de impuestos de Seguridad Social o interés exento de impuestos (si hay). Para muchas solicitantes, el AGI y el MAGI son iguales. Para Medicaid, los ingresos del hogar se calculan sumando el MAGI de cada persona en el hogar, ya sea que presenten o no una declaración de impuestos.

Ejemplos de documentación

  • Verificación de ingresos
    • Talones recientes de pago
    • Declaraciones de impuestos
    • Estados de cuenta de seguro por desempleo o beneficios de Seguridad Social
  • Prueba de identidad y ciudadanía
    • Licencia de conducir o identificación emitida por el estado
    • Certificado de nacimiento o pasaporte de Estados Unidos
    • Tarjeta de residencia permanente (Tarjeta verde o “Green Card”)
  • Confirmación del embarazo
    • Nota del médico/a o verificación de un profesional médico/a
    • Informe de ultrasonido
  • Proof of Alabama residency
    • Cuenta de servicios (electricidad, agua, gas)
    • Contrato de alquiler o hipoteca
    • Tarjeta de registro de votante

Pasos para inscribirse

Verificar elegibilidad

Asegúrese de que sus ingresos cumplan con los requisitos para el tamaño de su hogar (que incluye a usted, sus dependientes y su niño por nacer). Repase la lista de verificación de elegibilidad y la tabla de límites de ingresos en este kit de herramientas para confirmar la elegibilidad.

Reunir la documentación necesaria

Antes de presentar la solicitud, reúna la documentación necesaria:

  • Verificación de ingresos
  • Confirmación de embarazo
  • Prueba de identidad y ciudadanía
  • Prueba de residencia en Alabama

Presentar la solicitud

En línea

Solicite cobertura en línea en insurealabama.adph.state.al.us

Por correo

Descargue, llene y envíe por correo la solicitud de Medicaid a:

Medicaid, P.O. Box 5624

Montgomery, AL 36103-5624

Confirme y espere

Después de presentar la solicitud, debe recibir una carta de confirmación a las pocas semanas. Asegúrese de que toda su información sea correcta. Si no tiene noticias, haga seguimiento con la oficina de Medicaid para controlar el estado de su solicitud.

¿Necesita ayuda?

Llame a la línea de ayuda de Medicaid si necesita ayuda con el proceso de solicitud o para renovar su cobertura.

Línea de ayuda de Medicaid: 888-362-1504

Lunes a viernes de 8 a.m. a 4:30 p.m.

Cómo Alabama está mejorando los resultados

A pesar de las dificultades, numerosos programas e iniciativas en todo Alabama trabajan para mejorar los resultados de salud materna. Estos son algunos.

ALABAMA 211 CONNECTS

Alabama 211 es una línea de ayuda de todo el estado que conecta a los residentes con atención médica esencial, salud materna y servicios sociales. Sirve como recurso central para orientarse entre las opciones de apoyo local durante el embarazo y el periodo de posparto. Se puede llamar simplemente al 2-1-1 para acceder a una amplia gama de servicios.

ALABAMA MARCH OF DIMES

March of Dimes es una organización no lucrativa que respalda investigación, defensa de intereses y programas para mejorar la salud maternoinfantil. En Alabama, se centra en la prevención de defectos congénitos, nacimientos prematuros y disparidades de salud materna. Esta organización ofrece educación prenatal y apoyo para embarazadas, especialmente en comunidades vulnerables.

ALABAMA MATERNAL HEALTH TASK FORCE

La Alabama Maternal Health Task Force (ALMHTF) trabaja para abordar las dificultades estatales de salud materna al coordinar esfuerzos de varias partes interesadas. Tiene como meta mejorar los resultados de salud mediante la reducción de la mortalidad y morbilidad maternas a través de iniciativas de desarrollo de políticas, colaboración y mejora de la calidad de atención médica.

ALABAMA MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE

El Alabama Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) investiga las muertes maternas en todo el estado para identificar la causa y determinar factores evitables. Al revisar estos casos, el comité da recomendaciones a profesionales médicos/as y creadores/as de políticas para mejorar la atención médica materna y reducir las tasas de mortalidad materna.

ALABAMA PERINATAL QUALITY COLLABORATIVE

La Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ALPQC) es una iniciativa de todo el estado que reúne a profesionales médicos/as, hospitales y expertos/as en salud pública para mejorar la calidad de la atención perinatal. Se centra en la reducción de la mortalidad infantil y las complicaciones de salud materna mediante la implementación de las mejores prácticas en atención médica.

BIRMINGHAM HEALTHY START PLUS

Birmingham Healthy Start Plus brinda servicios con base en la comunidad para reducir la mortalidad infantil y mejorar la salud materna en los vecindarios más desatendidos de Birmingham. El programa ofrece apoyo prenatal y posparto, educación y recursos para asegurar embarazos sanos y partos seguros para familias vulnerables.

BIRTHWELL PARTNERS

Birthwell Partners es una organización no lucrativa que capacita y brinda doulas para ayudar a mujeres, en particular en zonas desatendidas y rurales de Alabama. Sus servicios ayudan a mejorar los resultados de los nacimientos al ofrecer apoyo emocional, físico y de información durante todo el embarazo, el parto y la recuperación posparto.

COVER ALABAMA

La coalición Cover Alabama hace activismo para la expansión de la cobertura de Medicaid para asegurar que más residentes de Alabama, sobre todo las mujeres embarazadas y las familias, tengan acceso a atención médica asequible. La coalición busca reducir las tasas de mortalidad materna y mejorar la salud materno infantil en general presionando para cerrar la brecha de cobertura en Alabama.

GIFT OF LIFE FOUNDATION

La Gift of Life Foundation respalda la salud maternoinfantil ofreciendo educación prenatal, acceso a atención médica y servicios de intervención temprana. Sus programas están diseñados para reducir la mortalidad infantil y asegurar que las madres reciban atención integral durante y después del embarazo.

NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

La Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) es un programa nacional que se implementa en Alabama para mejorar la salud maternoinfantil mediante la conexión de madres primerizas de bajos ingresos con enfermeros/as especialmente capacitados. Estos enfermeros/as brindan visitas a domicilio durante el embarazo y los primeros dos años de la vida del niño/a. Se centran en salud, destrezas de paternidad/maternidad y autosuficiencia económica.

PREGNANCY RISK ASSESSMENT MONITORING PROGRAM

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Program (PRAMS) es una iniciativa de los CDC en colaboración con el Departamento de Salud Pública de Alabama que busca recolectar datos sobre las actitudes y experiencias maternas antes, durante y después del embarazo. Esta información ayuda a dar forma a políticas y programas diseñados para mejorar los resultados de salud maternoinfantil en todo el estado.

Expansión de Medicaid

Alabama es uno de solo 10 estados que sigue sin expandir Medicaid. Esto deja a decenas de miles de mujeres en la brecha de cobertura. La expansión de Medicaid ayudaría a asegurar que más mujeres reciban atención médica antes, durante y después del embarazo, lo cual conduciría a bajar las tasas de mortalidad maternoinfantil.

Estadísticas

  • 10 estados no han expandido Medicaid.
  • Casi 200,000 residentes de Alabama quedan dentro de la brecha de cobertura.
  • Los estados que sí han expandido Medicaid han visto menos muertes maternoinfantiles en comparación con estados sin expansión.
  • La expansión de Medicaid podría evitar más cierres de hospitales y aumentar el acceso a la atención materna en zonas rurales.

Estados

  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Kansas
  • Mississippi
  • Carolina del Sur
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Conclusión

Asegurar una mejor salud materna en Alabama es una tarea colectiva que requiere apoyo, acceso a atención y decisiones informadas de manera continua. El Kit de herramientas de salud materna de Alabama es un recurso diseñado para informar y guiar a mujeres, familias y profesionales médicos/as en el acceso a los recursos disponibles a través de Medicaid y otros programas de salud materna. Al asegurar que todas las madres tengan acceso a atención esencial prenatal, de parto y de posparto, podemos trabajar hacia la reducción de la mortalidad materna, abordando disparidades y mejorando la salud tanto de madres como de bebés en todo nuestro estado. Juntos, podemos dar a luz mejores resultados para las familias de todo Alabama.

 

Alabama Arise es una organización no lucrativa de todo el estado conducida por sus miembros. Se dedica a promover políticas públicas para mejorar la vida de los residentes de Alabama que están marginalizados por la pobreza. Entre los miembros de Arise se cuentan grupos religiosos, comunitarios, no lucrativos y cívicos, líderes de activismo de base y personas de todo el estado. Conozca más sobre Arise en alarise.org. Siga a @AlabamaArise en Facebook, Instagram y Twitter/X.

VIDEO: Alabama Arise Action Legislative Day 2025

By Matt Okarmus

Arise held its 2025 Legislative Day on Thursday, March 20. More than 200 supporters from across Alabama joined us in Montgomery to urge their lawmakers to continue to untax groceries and to support a plan to allow every public school in our state to provide no-cost school breakfast to all students. Our supporters also were excited to celebrate the final passage of legislation to provide paid parental leave to teachers and state employees.

Watch this video for snapshots of the event and for highlights from our news conference on untaxing groceries. Thank you to everyone who spoke out for a better Alabama for all!

Maternal health, paid leave are early highlights in Alabama’s 2025 legislative session

By Carol Gundlach

Alabama Arise is advocating successfully to advance several good bills early in the Legislature’s 2025 regular session. Our members are speaking out and getting results on maternal health care access, paid parental leave and other issues.

The session began Feb. 4 and likely will end in mid-May. Here is an overview of Arise’s advocacy at the State House this year.

Maternal and infant health care

Both the House and Senate have voted overwhelmingly for legislation to improve Medicaid access for pregnant women. HB 89 by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, and SB 102 by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would use a process known as presumptive eligibility to streamline Medicaid enrollment for eligible women, allowing them to get health care earlier in their pregnancies.

We also have seen early momentum for bipartisan bills to ensure paid parental leave for teachers and state employees. HB 327 by Rep. Ginny Shavers, R-Leesburg, and SB 199 by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, would provide eight weeks of paid leave for mothers and two weeks for fathers. The leave would apply to childbirth, adoption or miscarriage. Gov. Kay Ivey prioritized this policy in her State of the State address, and Arise strongly supports it.

Arise also supports bills to allow nursing mothers an exemption from jury duty and to improve Medicaid coverage for mothers facing postpartum depression. We back legislation to allow some women convicted of crimes to serve supervised probation during and immediately after pregnancy. And we support requiring employers to allow breaks for nursing mothers to express breast milk.

Adequate state budgets and public transportation

Medicaid expansion would help make health coverage affordable for all Alabamians, and it remains a top Arise budget priority. (See page 3.) We also oppose legislation to authorize junk health plans that could deny coverage for people with preexisting conditions. And we oppose federal efforts to slash Medicaid and food assistance to fund tax breaks for wealthy households. (See page 1.)

Arise is advocating for state funding to allow all public schools to provide universal free breakfast to every student if they choose. We are seeking to ensure ongoing support for Summer EBT benefits for more than 500,000 Alabama children, which our members’ advocacy secured last year. And we are working with other advocates to reform Alabama’s school funding formula, ensuring equitable public education for all students.

Arise was instrumental in creating state trust funds for public transportation and affordable housing. We are working with legislators on multiple possibilities to support these services.

Reforming Alabama’s upside-down tax system

Alabama reduced its state sales tax on groceries from 4% to 3% in 2023. Reducing the grocery tax further and ultimately eliminating it remains an important Arise goal. This may require amending the original legislation to phase in the next reduction sooner.

Arise supports good bills to end the state sales tax on infant formula, diapers and women’s hygiene needs. And we are closely monitoring the CHOOSE Act’s impact on education funding. Arise opposed the 2024 law, which will divert at least $100 million annually away from public schools and toward private schools and homeschooling.

Voting rights, criminal justice reform and death penalty reform

Voting is a fundamental way for people to make their voices heard. Arise opposes efforts to make it harder for people to exercise their right to vote. We support legislation to allow early voting, reduce barriers to absentee voting, and remove barriers to voting rights restoration for disenfranchised Alabamians.

Reforming criminal justice policies, including the death penalty, has been an Arise priority for many years. We are working to pass legislation improving the state’s broken parole system. We also back efforts to apply Alabama’s ban on judicial overrides of jury sentencing decisions in capital cases retroactively.

A man stands at a podium speaking to lawmakers who are seated.
Arise worker policy advocate Dev Wakeley testifies Feb. 6 against HB 29, a bill that would make it harder for workers to claim unemployment insurance benefits. (Photo by Robyn Hyden)

Workers’ rights and racial justice

Arise is committed to supporting safe workplaces and workers’ rights to organize. We support legislation allowing Alabama to recapture tax incentives from companies that violate child labor laws. We also support a bill to end state restrictions on local minimum wage increases. And we oppose legislation making it harder for people to receive unemployment insurance benefits after they lose their job.

The 2024 federal election has influenced state legislative priorities. Numerous state bills are targeting people without immigration documents and attacking efforts to advance racial equity and inclusion. Arise stands with our partners and friends in opposition to harmful bills in these areas.

Arise legislative update: Week of March 10, 2025

By Alabama Arise

Arise’s Jennifer Harris provides an update on bills to expand access to maternal health care, postpartum care and paid parental leave in Alabama. She celebrates the progress on HB 89 and SB 102, which would remove barriers to Medicaid enrollment for expectant mothers, as well as SB 191 and HB 322, which would improve access to care for mothers facing postpartum depression. Lawmakers also are advancing HB 327 and SB 199 to ensure paid parental leave for teachers and state employees.

Jennifer also shares the good news that both Republicans and Democrats are working to continue reducing Alabama’s state sales tax on groceries. HB 386, which would reduce the state grocery tax from 3% to 2%, could be up for a House vote when lawmakers return March 18.

Full transcript:

Hello. I am Jennifer Harris, senior health policy advocate at Alabama Arise, and I’m excited to share legislative updates from the State House this week on maternal health and family supports.

First up, HB 89 and companion bill SB 102, presumptive eligibility. Medicaid covers almost half of all births in Alabama, but unfortunately, for many of those moms, the paperwork process can take up to 60 days. This bill removes those barriers and allows moms to schedule their first prenatal appointments during the approval process. Prenatal health care for the entire pregnancy is a key factor in ensuring we have healthier moms and infants. These bills continue to move successfully through both chambers with bipartisan support.

Next up, SB 191 and HB 322. These bills seek to address postpartum depression in new mothers. They ask Medicaid to create a screening tool that helps physicians identify postpartum depression symptoms, provides for adequate treatment, and creates educational material to share with mothers, families, and providers.

In continued support for new and expanding families, SB 199 and HB 327 provide paid parental leave for new parents with eight weeks of paid leave. These bipartisan bills lead the Southeast in supporting working families.

And lastly, Alabama Arise worked to lift advocate voices and successfully champion a state grocery tax cut. This tax cut was implemented as a two-step process, with the first step beginning in 2023. HB 386 was introduced last week to continue our work to ease financial burdens for Alabama families. Look for updates to come on this exciting development.

The legislative session will be on break this week, but you can stay up to date by visiting our website, alarise.org, to sign up for our email list and action alerts. Be sure to follow us @AlabamaArise on all social media platforms and share with your friends and family.

Federal Medicaid, SNAP threats imperil Alabamians

By Chris Sanders

Lawmakers should not hurt people who are struggling to help people who are already doing well. But Congress is considering cuts to health coverage, food assistance and other human services that would do exactly that. These proposals would increase hunger and hardship for hundreds of thousands of Alabamians.

The U.S. House last month approved a budget resolution that could set the stage for more than $1 trillion of cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade. Congressional leaders are weighing these cuts to offset the cost of renewing huge tax breaks for wealthy people. Among those breaks are higher estate tax exemptions and a cut to the top marginal income tax rate.

The contrast is stark. The amount of potential Medicaid and SNAP cuts in the House resolution would be roughly equal to the cost of extending tax breaks for just the wealthiest 1% of households, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found.

These funding cuts would increase suffering across Alabama. As many as 1 in 5 Alabamians enrolled in Medicaid could lose coverage due to cuts or work reporting requirements, CBPP estimated. Many other people could see SNAP assistance reduced or eliminated. Other potential targets include school meals, student loan assistance and tax credits for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

“Our lawmakers should reject harmful service cuts for working people and tax giveaways to wealthy households,” Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden said. “They should focus instead on building an economy that works for everyone in Alabama and across our country.”

Arise is speaking out against harmful cuts

The proposed cuts are not a done deal. The House and Senate still must agree on an identical budget resolution. After that, lawmakers would have to identify specific cuts to meet the resolution’s numerical targets. Then the House and Senate would have to pass budget legislation to enact those cuts.

Arise and our partners have spoken out repeatedly against these harmful proposals. We joined 55 other groups in January to urge Alabama’s congressional delegation to reject additional tax breaks for wealthy households. The joint letter asked Congress to provide tax reductions for working families instead by expanding the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. Arise also joined 111 groups in February in another letter urging Alabama’s delegation to reject cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Read the January letter here and the February letter here.

Arise and our members will continue opposing service cuts that would hurt families who struggle to make ends meet. As we wrote to Congress in January: “Americans want you to meet the moment and put the future and well-being of all of us ahead of tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected.”