What is Cover Alabama?

The Cover Alabama Coalition is a nonpartisan alliance of over 130 community partners, consumer groups, businesses, health care providers and faith groups advocating for the state of Alabama to provide quality, affordable health coverage to its residents and implement a sustainable health care system.

What is medicaid expansion?

Medicaid is a state and federal health insurance program that serves more than 80 million people, including adults and families with low-incomes, people with complex health needs and disabilities, and people over the age of 65.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed in 2010, required all states to expand Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (about $20,000 for an individual in 2023). However, the US Supreme Court decided in 2012 that states are not required to expand Medicaid, making coverage expansion of the program optional.

Alabama is one of ten states that has refused to expand its Medicaid program. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Alabamians are without lifesaving health insurance or fall into the health care “coverage gap.” They earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to be eligible to get financial help to buy private insurance. These are hardworking men and women who are left with few options for affordable health coverage. To close that gap, our diverse coalition has come together to form Cover Alabama — urging our state to expand Medicaid now.