Expand Medicaid Coverage in Alabama

July 30, 2021 marked 56 years since President Lyndon B Johnson signed Medicaid into legislation in the US. More individuals and families were able to receive services and treatments that had been long denied to them due to being underemployed, unemployed, or having little to no access to medical facilities. Recently, Alabama has been named as one of 12 states that has not made any effort to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

An estimated 300,000 new members would be added into the program if Governor Ivey expanded medicaid in the state of Alabama. According to Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, “The most important thing that Medicaid expansion does is it absolutely improves health outcomes. You get earlier cancer diagnosis. You get lower infant mortality rates. You get earlier diagnosis of diabetes."

Alabama is a state where HIV/STI cases are on the rise, Alabama has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, and COVID-19 is becoming increasingly prevalent and fatal particularly among those who have pre-existing conditions. The preventive care and early diagnosis that Medicaid expansion could provide has the ability to save so many lives in Alabama.

This is why groups such as Cover Alabama are vital. Cover Alabama ‘is a nonpartisan alliance of more than 90 advocacy groups, businesses, community organizations, consumer groups, health care providers and religious congregations advocating for the state of Alabama to provide quality, affordable health coverage to its residents and implement a sustainable health care system.

Please sign the petition to take action to help thousands of uninsured residents in Alabama: https://www.coveralabama.org/petition