In The News

By: State Rep. Jennifer Fidler — March 2, 2026 When a woman hears the words, “You have breast cancer,” her world changes instantly. In that moment, she is not thinking about insurance codes, provider networks, or reimbursement formulas. She is thinking about survival — about her children, about whether she will live to see her next birthday. And yet, for too many women in Alabama, what comes after cancer surgery brings a second, unexpected battle, one not against disease, but

By: SocialAlabamaMagazines Dr. Mark Stalder For women navigating breast cancer, choosing the right option for reconstruction is both deeply personal and life-changing. Yet across Alabama, many women are never able to explore all the surgical options that may be right for them. Insurance barriers, coverage limitations, and a lack of regional specialists often make the most advanced forms of reconstruction — including your-own-tissue microsurgical procedures — difficult or impo

Doctors and breast cancer survivors urge State action as new legislation aims to close gaps between insurance coverage and real access to care. Surgeons, breast cancer survivors, advocates and State lawmakers recently met in Mobile to confront persistent gaps in access to breast reconstruction care after mastectomy. The forum underscored how coverage on paper does not always translate into timely, practical care for patients across Alabama. The January 10 event included re

When a woman hears the words, “You have breast cancer,” her world changes instantly. In that moment, she is not thinking about insurance codes, provider networks, or reimbursement formulas. She is thinking about survival—about her children, about whether she will live to see her next birthday. And yet, for too many women in Alabama, what follows cancer surgery brings a second battle—not against disease, but against their own health insurer. Federal law has long recognized tha

By Scott Johnson Feb 12, 2026 Health insurance plans are functionally limiting which breast cancer procedures are available in Alabama, according to advocates backing new legislation filed Thursday. A bill sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fidler, R-Silverhill, titled "The Breast Reconstruction Coverage and Patient Choice Act" seeks to change that landscape. The proposal, filed as House Bill 435, would explicitly mandate all public and private healthcare plans to cover all stages of