Alabama House approves bill to expand Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women

The Alabama House of Representatives Thursday approved legislation expands prenatal coverage for residents who are eligible for Medicaid coverage.

HB 89, sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, establishes “presumptive Medicaid eligibility” for women who are pregnant. That would allow them to receive health care coverage for up to 60 days before their formal application for the program is approved.

“Basically, this would expedite the process to get women and babies into prenatal care much earlier,” Lands said. “Right now, only 11% of pregnant women in this state receive prenatal care at all, and many don’t get it until well into the second, or even third, trimester.”

The House approved the measure on a 102-0 vote.

The bill only allows a single period of eligibility for a woman who is pregnant. The legislation also says care received during the presumptive period cannot be retroactively denied.

Alabama has persistently high maternal mortality rates as well as poor infant health outcomes. Pregnant women in the state also have a high number of babies that are born preterm, before 37 weeks gestation.

“It is a low-cost, high reward, program, and has the potential to really create much better outcomes for Alabama moms and babies,” Lands said.

A fiscal note attached to the bill says the program would cost $1 million a year for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Most of the cost ($726,000) would be covered by the federal government. The Alabama Medicaid Agency has requested $1.184 billion in state money for fiscal year 2026. The federal government pays for about 73% of the program.

The bill was amended to include a sunset provision by October 2028.

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Several Republicans praised the legislation.

“You worked very hard on this,” said Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover. “You have done extensive research. Babies and mothers of Alabama are going to be better off as a result of your work.”

Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City also praised the legislation.

“This is a pro-life bill,” he said to Lands, who was elected to the House in a special election last year where she emphasized her support for reproductive rights. “And I just want to officially welcome you to the pro-life movement because every life is precious and created by God.”

That comment drew a rebuke from Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham.

“Why do we have to have high school attitudes about things?” said Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham. “Why do you have to come and interject pro-life? It is just a good bill.”

The bill is one of the few bills related to Medicaid that the House chamber will likely consider. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville said Thursday the chamber will not consider expanding the program similar to other states.

“What people have to understand about Medicaid, you asked with expansion, this year they have asked for over $250 million additional dollars, not counting the CHIP program, which is another $30 million, you are talking about $280 million in one year, and that is not sustainable,” he said in an interview with reporters about the chamber adjourned for the day.

This story is from alabamareflector.com.