Alabama Health Insurance


Family & Individual Health Insurance
Short-term Health Insurance
Group /Small Business
Student Health Insurance
Medicare Supplement
Life Insurance


How healthy is living in Alabama?

Alabama fell two spots in the United Health Foundation's 2009 survey of the healthiest states to live in, coming in at number 48.

The good news:

  • The rate of the percentage of uninsured residents continued to fall – from 13.6 percent in 2008 to 11.9 percent. The percent has fallen from 16.9 percent in 1990.
  • The prevalence of smoking in Alabama fell from 25.3 percent of the population to 22.1 percent.

The bad news:

  • In the past year, the percentage of children classified as "in poverty" continued to rise, up from 22.5 percent in 2008 to 23.7 percent in 2009.
  • Obesity is still a major concern, with 32.2 percent of the population classified as obese. Only one state – Mississippi – did worse on this scale.
  • The state was ranked among the 10 worst states in 12 categories.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

  • Prevalence of binge drinking (11.4 percent) – 6th
  • Geographic disparity – 12th
  • Prenatal care – 13th
  • Public health funding – 14th
  • Prevalence of smoking – 41st
  • Preventable hospitalizations – 43rd
  • Cancer deaths – 44th
  • High school graduation – 44th (66.2 percent of ninth graders eventually graduate)
  • Air pollution – 45th
  • Poor physical health days – 46th
  • Children (under 18) in poverty – 47th
  • Poor mental health days – 47th
  • Infant mortality – 48th
  • Premature death – 48th
  • Cardiovascular deaths – 49th
  • Prevalence of obesity (32.2 percent) – 49th

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Alabama.


Does Alabama have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Thumbs up on offering a risk pool.; Alabama Health Insurance Plan
Toll-free 1-800-513-1384 or (334) 353-8924


IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Alabama will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Alabama's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.


Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Alabama

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.


Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Alabama

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Alabama.


USNews health insurance rankings for Alabama

USNews logo US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Alabama.


Official State Goverment Sites with Alabama Health Insurance Information

Alabama State Seal.;

Alabama Department of Insurance, consumer page -- provides regulation of the insuance industry to provide consumer protection and help maintain market stability.

All Kids -- the state's SCHIP program to provide low-cost, comprehensive health insurance for children 18 years and younger.

Alabama Department of Senior Services -- Medicare resources (state health insurance assistance program) and more for Alabama's older population.

Alabama Medicaid Agency -- The state/federal program that pays for medical and long-term care services for low-income pregnant women, children, certain people on Medicare, disabled individuals and nursing home residents -- has income and other requirements.

Alabama Health Insurance News

Vote against health care reform helps doom a Democrat

The Cap Times – Conservative pundits and pols claimed after Congress backed health care reform that Southern Democrats who voted for the measure had doomed themselves politically. In fact, it may be the other way around, and that’s something that Democrats across the country should note.

Report: Ranks of uninsured in Alabama, Mississippi to plunge under health care overhaul

al.com – The ranks of low-income adult Alabamians and Mississippians without health insurance will fall by more than half in the coming decade under an expansion of the Medicaid program tied into the recently signed health care overhaul, a new report says.

Read more Alabama health insurance news & opinion

Alabama Health Insurance Companies

Health insurance companies in Alabama.
Get health plan pricing for these companies.

Aetna
Celtic Ins. Co.
Golden Rule
Humana

Call Congress: Support Insurance Reform

Contact your federal officials. All Americans need your help to demand that Congress continue to support health care legislation that will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all Americans.
Senator Jeff Sessions
PHONE: 202-224-4124 (DC office)
FAX: not available (DC office)
State offices
Contact by E-mail
Senator Richard Shelby
PHONE: 202-224-5744 (DC office)
FAX: 202-224-3416 (DC office)
State offices
Contact by E-mail

House Members
(follow link, then look for "Contact") u.s. house seal Need Help?
ZIP search

For state-level reform, contact:

Alabama Governor Bob Riley
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
PHONE: 334-242-7100
FAX: 334-353-0004
Contact by e-mail


Contact your Alabama State Senator and State Representative

Read more on Health Care Reform!


Health Insurance 101: learning center

Individual health insurance an overview for those without employer-sponsored plans

Health insurance scams: tips for defending yourself from insurance fraud

Private health insurance: background on the "American way" of paying for health care

Self-employed health insurance: how to get – and keep – your health coverage

Additional health care resources

Find licensed physicians near you. Each state is home to organizations that can help you find and research physicians, offering online information about a physician's license, schooling, practice information and more.

Alabama Licensee Search
Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Other Alabama Public Resources
The Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA)