Alabama CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program
Updated August 2026
ALL Kids is Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program, covering uninsured children under 19 whose family income exceeds the Alabama Medicaid limit but falls at or below 312% of the Federal Poverty Level. Premiums are charged on a sliding scale based on family income and are among the lowest in the state's public programs.
312% FPL
ALL Kids income limit
ALL Kids
Alabama's CHIP program name
1-800-362-1504
Alabama Medicaid Agency phone
Not sure if your child qualifies for Medicaid or ALL Kids? Apply anyway
If you're not sure whether your child qualifies for Medicaid or CHIP, apply anyway. The eligibility system determines which program applies based on your income. A child who earns out of Medicaid may qualify for CHIP, and vice versa. Don't let uncertainty about which program applies prevent you from applying.
What is ALL Kids?
ALL Kids — Alabama's Low-Income Kids program — is Alabama's Title XXI Children's Health Insurance Program. It was established to cover children in the gap between the standard Alabama Medicaid income limit (approximately 146% FPL for children) and 312% FPL. Children at or below the lower threshold qualify for full Alabama Medicaid with no premium. Children above that threshold but at or below 312% FPL qualify for ALL Kids with a sliding-scale premium.
At 312% FPL, Alabama ALL Kids covers children at higher family incomes than many other non-expansion states. Per the Alabama Department of Public Health's ALL Kids income guidelines effective 2/1/2026, a family of four may earn up to $8,718 per month (about $104,616 annually) and remain in the top ALL Kids Fee tier. This generous upper limit reflects a state policy choice to invest in children's health coverage even where adult coverage remains narrow.
Who qualifies for ALL Kids
Children who are below the Medicaid income threshold qualify for regular Alabama Medicaid with no premium; ALL Kids covers the gap between Medicaid and 312% FPL. If you are unsure which program your child qualifies for, apply and let the Alabama Medicaid Agency determine eligibility.
- Child must be under age 19
- Child must be an Alabama resident
- Child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or qualified noncitizen
- Household income above the standard Alabama Medicaid limit and at or below 312% FPL
- Child must not have access to employer-sponsored health insurance that provides coverage
- Child must not currently be enrolled in another government health insurance program
ALL Kids premiums
ALL Kids charges monthly premiums on a sliding scale based on family income. Premiums are low and are designed to be affordable for working families. Federal CHIP law caps cost-sharing for CHIP families at 5% of household income annually.
Exact premium amounts vary by family income level and are set by the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Your approval letter will show the premium for your household. Premiums must be paid on time to maintain coverage — ALL Kids may disenroll children for non-payment, though there is typically a grace period.
What ALL Kids covers
ALL Kids provides comprehensive coverage equivalent to standard Alabama Medicaid for children, including the EPSDT benefit.
- Well-child visits and preventive checkups
- Immunizations
- Dental care — preventive, restorative, and medically necessary orthodontics
- Vision exams and eyeglasses
- Mental health services
- Prescriptions
- Emergency and urgent care
- Inpatient hospital care
- Specialist referrals
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
What CHIP is
CHIP — the Children's Health Insurance Program — is a federal-state partnership that covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. Congress created CHIP in 1997 under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Like Medicaid, CHIP is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, and each state administers its own program.
CHIP serves children up to age 19 (some states cover to 21 for children in foster care). It is not available to adults — CHIP is specifically designed to address the coverage gap for children in working families.
Nationally, CHIP covers approximately 7 million children, according to CMS data. In most states, it is a seamless part of the broader children's health coverage system alongside Medicaid.
How to apply for ALL Kids
Apply for ALL Kids at medicaid.alabama.gov or at your county DHR office. The application screens for both Alabama Medicaid and ALL Kids simultaneously — you do not need to apply separately. You can also call the Alabama Medicaid Agency at 1-800-362-1504 for assistance.
If you applied through healthcare.gov and were found eligible for CHIP, your application is forwarded to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. You may be contacted by DHR to provide additional documentation before coverage is confirmed.
Alabama Medicaid Agency
- Alabama Medicaid Agency (ALL Kids): medicaid.alabama.gov
- Alabama Medicaid / ALL Kids enrollment phone: 1-800-362-1504
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