Uninsured Children
Getting children the health care they need gives
parents peace of mind that they are helping their children lead healthier,
happier lives. There are several low- or no-cost
health
insurance programs for Alabama children.
Older children, such as college students or young
adults in the workforce, need to have access to medical care too. If you have
children older than 18 years, who are not insured, visit the
College Student or Recent
High School or College Graduate pages of this web site to learn about
health
insurance options that are available for older children.
Low- or No-Cost Health Insurance Programs for
Children in Alabama
**The following three programs use a joint application
form which is available at any county health department, as well as most
hospitals. You may also apply online at
insurealabama.adph.state.al.us/
or call 1-888-373-KIDS to have an application mailed to you. These 3 programs'
eligibility is based on age, income, and family size. A child can only be
eligible for one of these programs at a time.
ALL Kids is the Children's Health Insurance Program
offered by the Alabama Department of Public Health for uninsured children under
age 19. ALL Kids helps families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid
and cannot afford private
health
insurance. (Family size and income determine eligibility under ALL Kids.)
Applications are available at any county health department or Department of
Human Resources office, as well as most hospitals. You can also apply online at
the ALL Kids Web site or call
1-888-373-KIDS to have an application mailed to you.
SOBRA Medicaid provides health care coverage for
pregnant women and children under age 19 who fall within certain income
guidelines. These children may be living in one or two parent families. You may
also apply for unrelated children as long as they are living in the home.
Family planning (birth control) services are available for women between the
ages of 19 and 44.
To qualify, you must be an Alabama resident and U.S.
citizen or eligible immigrant and show proof of your status. Applicants must
also meet income level and age requirements.
To apply in person, go to your local county health
department, federally qualified health care center or some local hospitals. For
a paper application, call 1-800-362-1504 or visit Medicaid’s web site at
www.medicaid.alabama.gov. You may
also apply on-line at insurealabama.adph.state.al.us/.
There may be small co-pays, however, there are no
co-pays for children under 18 years of age, pregnant women or those receiving
birth control (family planning) services.
Some of the Medicaid benefits include regular "well
child" check-ups and immunizations for children, sick child doctor and nurse
visits, dental and hearing services for children under age 21, prescriptions,
vision services, hospital services, mental health/substance abuse services,
birth control and pregnancy related services.
Additional information on eligibility, benefits and
services, and income requirements can be found on the Alabama Medicaid web site
at www.medicaid.alabama.gov.
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The Alabama Child Caring Foundation (ACCF or Caring
Program) is a private foundation established by Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Alabama that aims to provide uninsured children in Alabama with the outpatient
health care services they need.
Any child who is an unmarried natural son or daughter,
step-child, legally adopted child or under the legal guardianship of parents
whose annual income is equal to or less than 235% of the federal poverty level
is eligible. The child cannot be eligible for governmental programs such as
Medicaid or be covered by private insurance.
For more information on this program, please call
205-220-5929 or 800-726-2289.
The Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) offers the
Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan (PEEHIP) to all full-time
employees of any public education institution within the state of Alabama and
their dependents. Part-time employees and their dependents (who are not
substitute or transient employees) are also eligible.
PEEHIP provides financial assistance to qualifying
members based on their income. Persons with a combined family income of 200% or
less of the the federal poverty level (FPL) qualify for a PEEHIP FPL Premium
Discount on their hospital, medical, or
health maintenance
organization (HMO) premium.
Go to the PEEHIP Family Income Table to find
out whether you meet income requirements.
PEEHIP CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) is
offered to children of public education employees who qualify for the FPL
Premium Discount but are not eligible for Medicaid. The PEEHIP CHIP program is
a low co-pay
program for children under the age of 19 who would normally qualify for the
PEEHIP Hospital Medical Plan.
Visit the
PEEHIP web site for
more information on health plan benefits and services for children and to
download an application or call 1-800-214-2158.
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SECHIP is a
health
insurance plan for children (newborn through 18 years of age) of low income
(100-200% federal poverty level) state employees and retirees.
A child is eligible for coverage under SECHIP if the
child is:
- Eligible for coverage as a dependent under the
State
Employees Health Insurance Plan (SEHIP)
- Under 19 years of age
- In a family with an income from 100% to 200% of the
federal poverty level; (examples of income are: wages, commissions, salaries,
Social Security benefits, child support, unemployment compensation benefits,
and cash contributions from friends or relatives.)
- Ineligible for Medicaid
- Not covered by another
health
insurance plan (excluding SEHIP and supplemental coverages)
- Not in an institution
For more information contact the State Employees
Insurance Board at 800-513-1384 or 334-883-5900.
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