ALL Kids (Alabama CHIP) for Children with Autism

Many Alabama working families earn a little too much to qualify for Medicaid but still can't afford private insurance for a child's autism care. ALL Kids — Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — is built for exactly that gap. It's run by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), and medical care is delivered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama's provider network.

Who qualifies

A child can enroll in ALL Kids if they are:

• Under age 19, an Alabama resident, and a U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant;
• Not already covered by other comprehensive health insurance; and
• Not eligible for Medicaid (ALL Kids starts where Medicaid income limits end).

Eligibility is based on family income by household size. Below are the monthly gross income guidelines effective 2/1/2026 (source: ADPH). If your income falls in the "Low Fee" or "Fee" column, Medicaid said no but ALL Kids may say yes:

| Family size | Medicaid (up to) | ALL Kids Low Fee | ALL Kids Fee (up to) | |---|---|---|---| | 3 | $3,324 | $3,325–$3,552 | $3,553–$7,218 | | 4 | $4,015 | $4,016–$4,290 | $4,291–$8,718 | | 5 | $4,707 | $4,708–$5,029 | $5,030–$10,218 |

ALL Kids covers children in families earning up to roughly 312% of the federal poverty level — well into working-middle-class range.

What it costs

ALL Kids is genuinely low-cost:

• No Fee group: no premium, no copays.
• Low Fee group: $52 per child per year ($156 family cap).
• Fee group: $104 per child per year ($312 family cap).

By law, a family can't be charged more than 5% of annual income in combined premiums and copays; when you approach that cap, call customer service and submit receipts.

Autism and ABA coverage

In 2017 Alabama extended its autism insurance mandate (the Riley Ward Act, Ala. Code § 27-54A) to both Medicaid and CHIP (ALL Kids), per the National Conference of State Legislatures' summary of state autism laws. That mandate requires coverage of screening, diagnosis, and treatment — including behavioral therapy such as applied behavior analysis (ABA), plus psychiatric, psychological, speech, and therapeutic care. ALL Kids also covers routine checkups, immunizations, prescriptions, hospital care, dental, vision, and mental-health services.

Because the exact ABA benefit (authorization rules, provider requirements, visit limits) is administered through BCBS of Alabama, confirm your child's specific autism coverage before starting therapy by calling ALL Kids.

How to apply

• Apply online, by mail, or in Spanish at the ALL Kids website (search "Alabama ALL Kids apply").
• Customer service: 1-888-373-5437 (Spanish available) — ask directly about ABA and your fee group.
• There are no pre-existing-condition exclusions, so an existing autism diagnosis does not block enrollment. You may keep standalone dental/vision plans while applying.

If your income is just over the Medicaid line, don't assume your family has no public option — ALL Kids is often the answer.