ALL Kids Alabama is the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), offering low-cost health coverage for uninsured children under 19 whose families earn too much for Medicaid. It is run by the Alabama Department of Public Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama administers the medical, dental, vision, mental health, and substance abuse benefits through a preferred provider network. Depending on household income, coverage costs a family anywhere from nothing to $104 per child per year, capped at $312 per family.
Who Qualifies
To enroll, your child must be under 19, live in Alabama, be a U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant, have no other health insurance, not qualify for Alabama Medicaid, and not be living in an institution.1Alabama Department of Public Health. ALL Kids Insurance for Children: Does Your Child Qualify?
Two of those rules cause most of the confusion. If your child’s family income falls in the Medicaid range, the application routes them into Medicaid instead of ALL Kids. And if your child already has private coverage, they generally cannot enroll. Alabama does not impose a waiting period after a child loses private insurance, so a family that just lost employer coverage can apply right away.2Medicaid.gov. Waiting Periods in CHIP
Income Limits and Which Tier You Fall Into
Your monthly gross household income determines whether your child is placed in Medicaid, ALL Kids Low Fee, or ALL Kids Fee. The figures below are effective February 1, 2026.3Alabama Department of Public Health. ALL Kids Monthly Income Guidelines Effective 2/1/2026
- Family of 2: Medicaid up to $2,633 | Low Fee $2,634–$2,814 | Fee $2,815–$5,717
- Family of 3: Medicaid up to $3,324 | Low Fee $3,325–$3,552 | Fee $3,553–$7,218
- Family of 4: Medicaid up to $4,015 | Low Fee $4,016–$4,290 | Fee $4,291–$8,718
- Family of 5: Medicaid up to $4,707 | Low Fee $4,708–$5,029 | Fee $5,030–$10,218
- Family of 6: Medicaid up to $5,398 | Low Fee $5,399–$5,767 | Fee $5,768–$11,719
- Family of 7: Medicaid up to $6,089 | Low Fee $6,090–$6,506 | Fee $6,507–$13,219
- Family of 8: Medicaid up to $6,780 | Low Fee $6,781–$7,244 | Fee $7,245–$14,720
If your income looks like it falls just outside these ranges, apply anyway. Certain deductions and household circumstances can change the final calculation.
What ALL Kids Covers
Benefits are broad and cover most of what a child typically needs: routine checkups, sick visits, specialist care, hospital stays, emergency room and ambulance services, prescriptions, mental health and substance abuse treatment, dental exams and fillings, vision exams and glasses, and immunizations.4Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). ALL Kids Benefits Booklet Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama manages the provider network, and you can search for participating doctors, dentists, and specialists through its online finder at bcbsal.org.
What It Costs
Children in the No Fee group pay nothing: no premium and no copayments. Families in the Low Fee and Fee groups pay an annual premium plus small copayments for most non-preventive services.5Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). Premiums and Copays
Annual Premiums
Low Fee is $52 per child per year, capped at $156 per family. Fee is $104 per child per year, capped at $312 per family. Premiums can be paid online through the ALL Kids website, and they must be current before your child’s coverage can be renewed.
Common Copayments
Preventive care is always free, including checkups, immunizations, and dental cleanings. For other services, the copay depends on your tier:
- Doctor office visit: $3 (Low Fee) or $13 (Fee)
- Generic prescription: $1 (Low Fee) or $5 (Fee)
- Preferred brand-name prescription: $5 (Low Fee) or $25 (Fee)
- Emergency room visit: $6 (Low Fee) or $60 (Fee)
- Hospital inpatient admission: $200 (both tiers)
- Outpatient surgery: $6 (Low Fee) or $100 (Fee)
Non-preferred brand-name drugs are not covered under either tier. And regardless of tier, federal law caps a family’s combined premium and copayment spending at 5% of annual household income.6Alabama Public Health. ALL Kids Benefits Book7HealthCare.gov. Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Eligibility Requirements
How to Apply
Before you start, gather proof of identity for the child and the person applying, citizenship or immigration documentation for the child (U.S. passport, birth certificate, or eligible immigration papers), proof of Alabama residency for the child, proof of household income such as recent pay stubs, W-2s, or a tax return, and Social Security numbers for everyone included on the application.8Alabama Medicaid Agency. Joint Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs
The application itself is a joint form that screens for ALL Kids, Medicaid, and Medicaid for Low Income Families in one shot. If your child does not qualify for any of these, the application is forwarded automatically to the Health Insurance Marketplace at Healthcare.gov, so a single submission covers all your options.9Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). ALL Kids Insurance for Children – Apply Now
Three ways to submit:
- Online at insurealabama.adph.state.al.us, generally the fastest option.
- By mail to ALL Kids Program, P.O. Box 304839, Montgomery, AL 36130-4839.
- By fax to (334) 206-3783.
For help while you apply, ALL Kids Customer Service is at 1-888-373-5437.
After You Are Approved
Once eligibility is confirmed, a welcome packet arrives from ALL Kids and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama with benefit information and provider network details. Your child’s insurance card typically arrives within 7 to 10 days of the eligibility determination. Staying within the BCBSAL PPO network keeps your out-of-pocket costs at the amounts listed in the benefits booklet.
Renewals and Continuous Coverage
Federal law now requires 12 months of continuous eligibility for children on CHIP, so your child’s coverage cannot be cut off mid-year because of an income change or a missed premium payment. This protection took effect January 1, 2024, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.10Medicaid.gov. Continuous Eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP Coverage
At the end of each 12-month period, the state redetermines eligibility. The agency first tries to verify your information through available databases without contacting you. If that is not enough, you will receive a pre-populated renewal form and have at least 30 days to respond. No in-person interview is required.11eCFR. 42 CFR Part 435 Subpart J – Redeterminations of Medicaid Eligibility
Two things to stay on top of: pay any outstanding premium before renewal time (online payments take at least 24 hours to process), and keep your mailing address current with ALL Kids so you actually receive the notice. Missing a renewal form is one of the most common reasons children lose coverage they still qualify for.
If Your Child Is Denied
If ALL Kids denies coverage or reduces benefits, you have the right to a fair hearing before an impartial official who was not involved in the original decision.12eCFR. 42 CFR Part 431 Subpart E – Fair Hearings for Applicants and Beneficiaries You can examine the documents the agency plans to use, bring witnesses, and present your own evidence. If the case turns on a medical question and an independent assessment is needed, the agency pays for it. Federal guidelines generally allow 30 to 90 days from the denial notice to file, and the notice itself should tell you exactly how long you have and how to request the hearing.13Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services. Medicaid/CHIP Eligibility Appeals
Before formally appealing, call ALL Kids Customer Service at 1-888-373-5437 and ask for the specific reason. Sometimes the fix is a single missing document you can resubmit.