With the goal of transforming Alabama's health care delivery system statewide, Gov. Kay Ivey issued an executive order on Thursday to establish the Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group.
According to the governor, several experienced state legislators and various agency leaders will be tapped to serve on the body. Those selected will be responsible for advising Ivey on the progress, policy development and implementation of Alabama's Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP) after its launch in January.
"The creation of the Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group enables Alabama to hit the ground running once the state's new comprehensive rural healthcare strategy is greenlighted by the Trump Administration," Ivey said in a press release. "The members of this group will help ensure our programs initiate positive transformations to the way Alabamians receive quality healthcare and that those transformative investments and policies are sustainable."
The governor noted that the Advisory Group comprises five members of the Alabama Senate and five members of the Alabama House of Representatives, all selected by the governor.
Additionally, the director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) shall serve as a member, as well as the division chief of ADECA's Federal Initiatives and Recreation Division (or the Division administering ARHTP), who shall serve as secretary.
Ivey has selected the following legislators to serve as advisory group members in the group:
- House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville)
- Senate Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman)
- State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Range)
- State Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville)
- State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva)
- State Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro)
- State Rep. Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville)
- State Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville)
- State Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville)
- State Rep. Pebblin Warren (D-Tuskegee)
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress in July, includes a multi-year, $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program, empowering states to strengthen rural communities across America by improving healthcare access, quality and outcomes by transforming the healthcare delivery system.
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