Learn about financial assistance programs for health insurance in Alabama.
Health insurance is a vital component for many family financial plans. However, health insurance can be very expensive. In Alabama, if you cannot afford health insurance, there are a variety of financial assistance programs designed to make health insurance affordable. If you decide to purchase health insurance in Alabama but cannot afford to pay the premiums, these financial assistance programs may be able to help you.
Medicaid
Medicaid offers assistance to low-income families that meet certain income requirements. Generally, to qualify for Medicaid assistance in Alabama, you must be below the federal poverty line. Any assets and income that you have will count against your eligibility. If you have any savings in a bank account or held with a financial institution, you may not qualify for assistance, even if your income is below the specified level for your household. The exact income thresholds vary according to whether you have children, are pregnant, are working or are unemployed.
ALL Kids
ALL Kids is an Alabama program that offers financial assistance for health insurance to children under 18 years of age. This program is designed to make sure that all children who are uninsured and who do not qualify for Medicaid have health insurance. Your family income must be below 200% of the federal poverty level, and you may be required to pay a small premium for each child annually. You may also be required to pay small co-payments for doctor's office visits.
ABCCEDP
The Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides free breast exam screenings to women between the ages of 40 and 64, or for women who are uninsured. Additionally, you must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. However, if you are under age 40 with abnormal clinical breast exams or over age 64 and enrolled only in Medicare Part A, you may still qualify for this program.
HCTC
The Federal Health Coverage Tax Credit helps certain trade dislocated workers and their families afford health insurance by paying 65 percent of the premiums associated with health insurance. This money can be taken as a tax credit at the end of the year, or paid directly towards the cost of premiums by the IRS. To qualify, you must be receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits or retirement benefits from the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. You cannot be enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid,or an employer-sponsored health plan where the employer pays more than 50 percent of your insurance premiums.
Tags: health insurance, financial assistance, assistance programs, federal poverty, financial assistance programs, must below, afford health
