The Alabama Department of Insurance is in charge of all types of insurance sold in Alabama. This means that if you live in Alabama and are having trouble finding affordable health insurance, you can ask for help from the Department of Insurance. The Alabama Department of Insurance can give you specific information about health insurance plans for adults, like the Alabama Health Insurance Plan, for children, like Allkids, and for seniors, like Medicare and Medicaid. The Alabama State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, gives you information about Medicare. If you meet certain requirements, the Alabama Medicaid Agency can help you get cheap Alabama health insurance.
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor, also oversees your health insurance if you get it through an employer-sponsored group health plan. Even if the EBSA can't help you find affordable health insurance in Alabama, they can help you with any problems you may be having with your current plan. Some examples of such situations are:
- Isn't being given COBRA, which stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, lets you keep your health care coverage even if you don't qualify for it.
Feeling like your health insurance plan was cancelled for no good reason
- Having general concerns about how your employer handles the group health insurance plan he or she offers to his or her employees
Both the Alabama Department of Insurance and the Employee Benefits Security Administration will be able to help you if you have any questions or concerns about your COBRA continuation health care coverage, as well as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA.
You can shop for affordable health insurance online, but to ensure you are getting Alabama-specific information and coverage, your first stop should be the Alabama's Department of Insurance or the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, depending on your situation.
