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 the health coverage gap?

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 $21,500 for an individual in 2025). However, the US Supreme Court decided in 2012 that states are not required to expand Medicaid, making coverage expansion of the program optional.

As a result, hundreds of thousands of Alabamians are living without access to affordable health coverage. They can’t get insurance through their jobs, can’t afford private health insurance, and make “too much” to qualify for Alabama Medicaid. They live in what is called the “health coverage gap.” The Medicaid coverage gap is contributing to our rural healthcare crisis. Our hospitals are shutting down at an alarming rate. Closing the health coverage gap strengthens our rural hospitals and ensures they stay open — creating good paying jobs and providing critical care in our rural communities.

Alabama can do better. If we challenge our leaders to work together to find solutions, we can stop hospital closures and improve access to care for Alabama families.