SB268 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Medicaid, inmates in city or county jail or custody of Dept. of Corrections, benefits suspended during custody

Summary

Medicaid eligibility would be suspended, not terminated, for people in jail or prison, with limited reinstatement and pre-release renewal options.

What This Bill Does

If someone is sentenced to custody in a city or county jail or the Department of Corrections, their Medicaid eligibility would be suspended during custody. They could have temporary reinstatement if they receive care outside custody for more than 24 hours. The law would allow (and in some cases require) efforts to establish or renew Medicaid eligibility for a person before they are released. The changes would take effect one year after the act’s effective date, and the act becomes law immediately after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects

• Inmates and detainees in city or county jails or the Department of Corrections: their Medicaid eligibility would be suspended during actual custody and may be reactivated under specified conditions.
• Medicaid program administrators and health care providers: they would implement suspended eligibility, process temporary reinstatements for out-of-custody care, and handle pre-release eligibility efforts.

Key Provisions

• Eligibility for Medicaid would be suspended, not terminated, during periods of actual custody.
• Temporary reinstatement of Medicaid eligibility is allowed for care received outside custody in a hospital or other health care facility for more than 24 hours.
• Jails and the Department of Corrections may make efforts to establish or renew Medicaid eligibility for a person prior to release from custody.
• The act becomes law immediately upon governor approval, but its provisions become operative one year after the act’s effective date.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Medicaid