Low-Income Health Insurance in Alabama

Alabama hasn't expanded its Medicaid program, which means getting Medicaid can be hard. Not only do you need to have a low income, but you also have to fit into another category, like being a parent, being pregnant or having a disability.

How to get free health insurance in Alabama

Kids have more options for coverage. They can get either Medicaid or ALL Kids, Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, depending on their family's income.

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Alabama also has Medicaid programs for the elderly, disabled or those in nursing homes. You must make less than $2,901 per month to qualify.

Alabama Medicaid eligibility for adults

For example, if you're a parent or caregiver with a low income, a pregnant woman or someone with a disability, you might be able to get Medicaid. However, Alabama's Medicaid eligibility rules are strict, which makes coverage hard to get.

Medicaid for parents and other caretaker relatives

You have to be either a parent of or closely related to the child you're taking care of to get Medicaid under this program. You also have to live with the child and be a U.S. citizen or qualifying immigrant. Lastly, you have to meet the income requirements, which are low.

Alabama Medicaid eligibility for parents and other caregivers

If you have more than eight people in your household, add $83 per month to the income limit.

Medicaid for pregnant women

The income limits are higher, which means a pregnant woman can make more money each month and still get Medicaid.

Alabama Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women

Add $670 each month to the income limit if you have more than eight people in your household.

Medicaid Plan First

This includes getting birth control or even permanent birth control, like surgery. To qualify, you have to meet the income limit and also not have had prior surgery to prevent pregnancy.

Alabama Medicaid Plan First income limits

If you have more than eight people in your house, add $670 per month for each extra person.

Medicaid for the elderly, disabled or those in nursing homes

You also have to meet a "resource limit," which means you can't have more than $2,000 in things like cash, real estate, stocks or annuities. The resource limit is checked on the first of the month, and if you have over $2,000 in resources, you won't be able to get Medicaid coverage, even if you have a low enough income.

Low-income health insurance for children

ALL Kids is Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). With ALL Kids, you can make more money each month than you can with Medicaid and still get coverage for your children.

Medicaid for children

The income limits for children are higher than they are for parents and caregivers, which means more children can get Medicaid compared to adults.

Alabama Medicaid income limits for children

For each person over eight in your household, add $670 to the monthly income limit.

ALL Kids

The coverage is very similar to Medicaid, but the income limits are higher. That means if you make too much for Medicaid, you may still be able to get ALL Kids coverage.

Alabama ALL Kids income limits

Marketplace plans

That's because people with low incomes can get discounts, called subsidies, that lower the monthly cost of health insurance.

Health insurance in Alabama costs $564 per month, on average, but if you get rate discounts, you could pay around $55 per month. If you buy a Silver plan, you might also get discounts that let you pay less when you go to the doctor, called cost-sharing reductions.

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Other low-income health insurance options in Alabama

If you can't get Medicaid and you can't afford a marketplace plan even with discounts, you still have some options to help you get health care. You could visit a community health center or consider special health care programs for specific needs, like HIV/AIDS or breast cancer.

Community health centers

Community health centers are local clinics that offer health care at costs based on your income and family size. The lower your income, the less you'll pay.

Health centers usually offer several kinds of medical care.

You can find a community health center near you using the search tool on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

Medicare Savings Programs

Alabama offers three Medicare Savings Programs that lower or eliminate what you have to pay for Medicare. For example, a Medicare Savings program might pay for your monthly Part B rate and your Part A deductible.

Alabama's programs are:

The income limits range from $1,325 to $1,781, depending on which program you qualify for and other factors like your marital status.

To get on a Medicare Savings Program, you have to apply separately through Alabama's Medicaid office. You can fill out the application online and email it to [email protected] or mail it to the Medicaid office that works with your county.

Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP)

Women with low incomes may be able to get free breast and cervical cancer screenings through the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP).

To qualify, you have to live in Alabama, be between 40 and 64 years old, and have no other insurance. You also have to meet the income requirements.

Income limits for the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

For every person over eight in your household, add $1,146 to the monthly income limit.

Free screenings through the program include:

If you need more testing, things like ultrasounds, colposcopies and biopsies are also covered.

Children's Rehabilitation Service (CRS)

If you have a child under age 21 who has special health care needs, you should look into Children's Rehabilitation Service (CRS). The care your child gets through CRS depends on their condition and what their needs are.

There's no income requirement, so your child can get care no matter how much you and your family make. However, your income may impact how much you have to pay when your child gets medical care. The lower your income, the less you'll pay.

Qualifying health care needs include things like:

Adults with hemophilia can also get CRS coverage.

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

If you have HIV or AIDS, you might be able to get help from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) for your medical care. To qualify, you need to have an HIV/AIDS diagnosis, live in Alabama and meet income requirements.

Income limits for Ryan White and ADAP coverage

These programs are "last resort" programs, which means they're designed to cover the gaps that your regular insurance might have. You should still have other insurance or Medicaid, if you can get it, to pay for most of your health care and for non-HIV/AIDS-related care. Ryan White and ADAP will only pay for things that your insurance doesn't cover.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology and sources

The average cost of health insurance in Alabama is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) public use files. Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. Rates for plans with subsidies are based on data for shoppers who got advance premium tax credits (APTCs) during 2024 open enrollment.

Other sources for this article include the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Alabama Legislative Service Agency, AlabamaPublicHealth.gov, the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), HealthCare.gov, KFF and Medicaid.Alabama.gov.