Children’s health coverage has long been a point of pride for Alabama, and we can’t afford to backslide. But Alabama’s rate of uninsured children has moved in the wrong direction since 2016, according to a recent report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families (CCF). Our state’s uninsured rate for children (3.5%) remained one of the best in the South in 2018. After years of improvement, though, Alabama’s number of uninsured children ticked up from 32,000 in 2016 to 41,000 in 2018. That’s a warning sign that our policymakers should heed. Alabama must protect the coverage gains we’ve made through ALL Kids. And we should build on those gains by expanding Medicaid to cover adults with low incomes. When parents have health insurance, their children are more likely to have coverage as well. Medicaid expansion would boost health security for struggling families across Alabama. That would be good for children, good for communities and good for our entire state. Check out our news release for more on the Georgetown CCF report. Then urge Gov. Kay Ivey to expand Medicaid so all Alabamians can get the care they need to survive and thrive. | |
