Health
No one should have to go without the medical care they need simply because they can’t afford it. Investments in Medicaid, ALL Kids, mental health care and other health services help Alabamians stay healthy and productive, and they lay the foundation for a future where all of our residents have a chance to thrive, regardless of their income or background.
Arise works to identify and eliminate the structural barriers that prevent many of our friends and neighbors across the state from accessing the health care they need. We examine how a variety of policy solutions, including Medicaid expansion, would help break down those walls and strengthen the health care infrastructure on which all Alabamians rely.
Featured Resources
Handbook
How to get help in Alabama during the COVID-19 crisis
Last updated Sept. 17, 2021. Life is changing quickly for everyone during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. Protecting yourself and your family from the virus is the first of many concerns. The pandemic also has left many Alabamians worried about food, health care, housing, job security and other basic needs. Alabama has a safety [...]
Letters & Testimony
Alabama Arise and partners urge Ivey to use every Medicaid tool available to save lives during COVID-19 pandemic
To: Gov. Kay Ivey and Commissioner Stephanie Azar From: The Undersigned Alabama Organizations Re: Alabama’s Policy Response to COVID-19 Date: March 19, 2020 Thank you both for your leadership, especially at this critical time. Alabama’s health care system, like most others around the world, is facing severe stresses with the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors and people [...]
Fact Sheet
Alabama needs to expand Medicaid NOW!
Medicaid is a health lifeline for one in four Alabamians and an economic engine for communities across our state. Extending Medicaid coverage to adults with low incomes would make life better for Alabamians of all races, genders and incomes. Medicaid expansion would ensure coverage for 340,000 Alabamians, including: People who work low-wage jobs and can’t [...]
Fact Sheet
A strong safety net means a stronger Alabama for all
We all know that people get down on their luck sometimes. They lose a job, have a sick child or need time to recover from an injury. And most Alabamians – understanding that “there, but for the grace of God, go I” – want to do what they can to help people going through a [...]
Fact Sheet
Why Medicaid expansion is a must for prison reform in Alabama
Against a backdrop of human tragedy, Gov. Kay Ivey’s Study Group on Criminal Justice Policy is working toward a January deadline for its recommendations to the Legislature. The U.S. Department of Justice in April issued a sobering overview of the Alabama corrections system’s numerous shortcomings. And the Montgomery Advertiser shed further light on the situation [...]
Fact Sheet
Meet the working men and women caught in Alabama’s health coverage gap
As we celebrate Alabama’s workforce on Labor Day, here’s a fact that deserves special attention: More than 100,000 Alabamians are working without health insurance. They work in child care, construction, food services and other vital jobs. They’re the folks who keep things going. Yet they’re trapped in the health coverage gap. They can’t afford employer-based [...]
Fact Sheet
Alabama’s prison reform solution must include Medicaid expansion
Alabama’s prison crisis is about more than overcrowding and understaffing. It’s about the generational impacts of a criminal justice system warped by racism, chronic poverty, inadequate education and poor health. The solution will require both new revenue and broad policy reform. And one essential step is to extend health coverage to uninsured Alabama adults with [...]
Fact Sheet
Removing the FIT deduction would allow Alabama to untax groceries, expand Medicaid
Alabama's federal income tax (FIT) deduction provides a huge tax break for high-income individuals – but at what cost? $719 million to be exact. The FIT deduction is one big reason Alabama's tax system is upside down. For those who earn $30,000 a year, the deduction saves them about $27 on average. But for the [...]
Fact Sheet
Alabama Medicaid reforms aim for better care, lower cost
Alabama is making some big changes in the way Medicaid members get their care. Alabama Arise believes the new plans, if carried out well, will be a significant improvement over the current Medicaid system. One way to improve the chances for success is to have a strong consumer voice at the policy table. The changes [...]
Fact Sheet
Revenue options for Medicaid expansion
Alabama’s budget is an expression of our values. Medicaid expansion means healthier families, thriving communities and a stronger economy. Policymakers have a range of options for making this bold investment in a brighter future. Now is the time to choose. Remove the state deduction for federal income taxes (FIT) ► $719 million in new revenue [...]
