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Alabama women need Medicaid expansion
Alabama women need Medicaid expansion
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Author(s):
- Clark, Maggie, author
Smith, Debbie, author - Contributor(s):
- Alabama Arise, issuing body.
Georgetown University. Center for Children and Families, issuing body. - Publication:
- [Washington, DC] : Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Center for Children and Families, June 2023
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Healthcare Disparities
Infant Health
Maternal Health
Medicaid -- legislation & jurisprudence
Medicaid -- organization & administration
Social Determinants of Health
Women's Health
Alabama - Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Alabama mothers face many barriers to good health. The state faces high maternal and infant mortality rates, high rates of uninsurance among women of childbearing age, and worsening access to maternity care providers. These problems are compounded by Alabama’s extremely low Medicaid eligibility limit for parents. A mother with two children would be over the income limit if she earns just $373 a month. This extremely low income limit restricts access to coverage to very few parents, and serves as a work disincentive for parents who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid and do not have an offer of health insurance from their employer. Alabama took an important step for women’s health in 2022 to extend the Medicaid postpartum coverage period from just 60 days to 12 months after the end of pregnancy. The state also has a proud history of covering children through the ALL Kids program and leads the South in reducing the number of uninsured children. Alabama policymakers can affirm their commitment to maternal and child health by expanding Medicaid for low-income adults. Research shows that Medicaid expansion has significant benefits for maternal and infant health, as it allows moms to have access to health coverage, before, during and after pregnancy so that they can have healthy births and support their childrens’ development. Medicaid expansion also has a “welcome mat” effect for children too: when their parents are covered, children are more likely to be covered and receive more preventive care.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (4 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918697337006676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918697337006676