The Alabama Legislature has passed a new law aimed at helping expectant mothers get the care they need during pregnancy. Known as SB102, the law will take effect on October 1 and stay in place through 2028, allowing pregnant women to get temporary Medicaid coverage for prenatal care before their official application is approved.
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This means that if a doctor or clinic determines that a woman is pregnant and meets the income guidelines, she can start receiving care right away. The temporary coverage—called “presumptive eligibility”—will last until one of three things happens:
- The state Medicaid office makes a final decision on her application,
- The end of the month after her eligibility is approved (if she doesn’t apply), or
- 60 days after she was first approved for the temporary coverage.
Each pregnancy qualifies for only one of these temporary coverage periods. And once the care has started, it can’t be taken away—even if her full Medicaid application is later denied or not completed.
Healthcare providers who make the eligibility decision must notify the state within five working days and remind the woman that she needs to apply for full Medicaid benefits by the end of the next month.
The Alabama Medicaid Agency will also create simple rules and forms to make it easier for providers to determine who qualifies.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.
