Dow Briggs, M.D. is the Executive Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. There are many reasons why Jackson Hospital is struggling, but Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s reimbursement is not why it is in bankruptcy. Despite the misleading claims made by the hospital’s CEO, Jackson Hospital is reimbursed more […]

The Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame will induct 12 healthcare leaders into its Class of 2026 during a ceremony scheduled for Aug. 8 in Montgomery. According to organizers, this year’s class includes physicians, dentists, healthcare executives, researchers, and academic leaders, including the president of The University of Alabama at Birmingham and multiple deans and hospital […]

The Alabama House passed HB111 on Wednesday, creating the crime of human cloning and making violations a Class C felony. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Phillip Rigsby (R-Huntsville), prohibits performing or attempting human cloning, participating in cloning attempts, and shipping or receiving embryos or cells for cloning purposes. The legislation does not restrict in […]

Alabama is reinforcing its role as a regional leader in advanced medical care after The University of Alabama at Birmingham performed the Southeast’s first robotic kidney transplant earlier this month, a milestone that could expand access to lifesaving procedures as the demand for organ transplants continues to grow nationwide. According to federal transplant data, more […]

VOICES for Alabama’s Children has released the 2025 Alabama Kids Count Data Book, marking a shift to a fully digital, year-round data platform with an expanded focus on children’s mental health. The 2025 edition represents the 32nd installment of the organization’s long-running assessment of child well-being in Alabama. Unlike previous years, the Data Book will […]

Longleaf Recovery & Wellness will host a free continuing education training in February focused on recognizing and responding to relapse risk among individuals in recovery. The two-hour course, titled “Understanding Relapse Risk: Recognition and Response,” is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST at 2501 International Park Drive in Birmingham. […]

A small horse with a big heart is gaining statewide attention for the comfort she brings to some of Alabama’s most vulnerable residents. Winnie, recognized as Alabama’s first miniature therapy horse, has spent years visiting nursing homes, assisted living facilities, memory care centers and rehabilitation facilities, offering moments of calm and connection to individuals who […]

Opioid prescriptions and the strength of those prescriptions have continued to decline significantly in Alabama over the past decade, according to new data cited by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. The Medical Association points to findings from a recent national report showing that opioid prescriptions in Alabama fell 46.2% between 2012 and […]

The Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee announced a grant program that will give Alabama veterans 24/7, year-round access to mental health support. Uwill, a national mental health and wellness platform, was awarded a grant and is rolling out a program providing immediate, confidential mental health and wellness support to Alabama’s veterans. The company developed the […]

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital has received a $50,000 contribution from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to support pediatric surgical care. The funding will be used to purchase new pediatric monitoring equipment for operating rooms, providing enhanced imaging capabilities and additional tools for physicians and surgical teams during procedures involving young patients. The […]

A group of middle school students from the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) is receiving national recognition for work rarely associated with students their age: using artificial intelligence to study the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The ASFA students have been awarded a $1,000 Promising STEM Innovation Award in the 2025–2026 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow […]

UAB Health System has announced its acquisition of Southview Medical Group, a multi-specialty medical practice serving patients across central Alabama. The acquisition was finalized January 1, 2026. The partnership aims to strengthen access to high-quality care in Birmingham and surrounding communities as demand for both primary and specialty services continues to grow. As part of […]

A leading Alabama-based behavioral health provider offering treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions has cleared one of Alabama health care’s biggest regulatory hurdles, winning Certificate of Need (CON) approval to develop and operate Longleaf Lodge, a new 60-bed residential substance use treatment center in Shelby County. Longleaf Recovery & Wellness’ approval from […]

While 22 states have had residents sickened with salmonella, some after eating raw oysters, Alabama is not one of those states. A December 23 report issued by the Center for Disease Control stated that 64 people have been infected with the disease. The situation is referred to as an “outbreak” in many news media and […]

Alabama’s rural communities are getting a infusion of $203,404,327 under the Trump administration’s state-led rural health transformation plan. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Monday that all 50 states will receive awards through the program, which CMS says was established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation. Awards for 2026 average about […]

A brand-new, out-of-state dark-money group launched an attack on Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama over the past week, and has already invested over $320,000 in negative television advertising alone.  During some of this weekend’s largest SEC football matchups, including Alabama vs. Oklahoma, the group ran a shock-style message that is now being pushed […]

Jackson Hospital & Clinic, Inc. in Montgomery, which bankruptcy filings have described as carrying between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities, filed a lawsuit last week against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, claiming they are to blame for the hospital’s impending closure. In the December 18 filings, Jackson makes sweeping and accusatory […]

While the holiday season can be a time of joy and celebration, it can also bring stress, exhaustion and burnout. With what can seem like an endless roster of social events, gift-giving obligations and the pressure to create the perfect holiday experience, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Burnout does not have to ruin […]

Governor Kay Ivey signed an order on Thursday creating the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group, which is designed to “hit the ground running” if Alabama secures federal approval for a sweeping new rural-health overhaul tied to President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. “The creation of the Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group enables Alabama […]

Montgomery’s city and county governments took different approaches this week on whether to provide additional financial support to Jackson Hospital. Officials acknowledge the outcome will have significant consequences for healthcare access in the River Region. Yesterday, the Montgomery City Council voted to approve additional funding for Jackson Hospital, increasing the city’s total financial commitment from […]

The University of Alabama’s University Medical Center in Tuscaloosa announced it is expanding specialty services as one of Alabama’s largest private neurology practices prepares to join its system, a move expected to strengthen patient access to neurological and sleep-medicine care across West Alabama. According to the University, Alabama Neurology and Sleep Medicine will transition to […]

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has been awarded a $2.8 million National Institutes of Health grant to support a groundbreaking biomedical experiment that will send human brain tissue models into space in hopes of unlocking new insights into Alzheimer’s disease. The project — officially titled “Exploiting accelerated aging associated with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) […]

Student veterans from Auburn University and The University of Alabama completed a powerful show of unity and resilience this week as they wrapped up the annual 151-mile Operation Iron Ruck, a multi-day march bringing attention to the crisis of veteran suicide. The march began last Wednesday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. It concluded Saturday at […]

Before sunrise, a small-town pharmacist unlocks her doors. She already knows who’s stretching insulin, who’s working double shifts while caring for an aging parent, and which neighbor depends on today’s refill to keep working tomorrow. Her quiet presence holds that town together more than any headline ever could. That same ethic — trust, responsibility, and […]