After the cuts, the grants

By Brian Lyman | Editor

By Anna Barrett

The state of Alabama Monday began handing out federal grants totaling about $144 million to 80 different institutions to help address rural health care. The money, which will only partially offset major cuts to Medicaid in the coming years, would lead to “systematic” changes to healthcare, according to Gov. Kay Ivey. But U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, whose district has seen many hospital closings, called it a “Band-Aid.”

By Ralph Chapoco

Heidi Beirich, who headed the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project for seven years, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges connected to the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecution of the nonprofit. DOJ alleges payments made by SPLC to informants in white supremacist groups aimed at disrupting their activities amounted to financial support of those groups and fraud. SPLC said intelligence was given to law enforcement and says it is being targeted for opposition to President Donald Trump.

By Shalina Chatlani, Stateline

Congress allowed enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans to expire at the end of last year. The move was devastating in Mississippi, where state health officials had worked to increase enrollment in the plans, leading to notable gains in several measurements of public health. But the loss of subsidies led to a major drop in enrollment, leaving many people with chronic conditions like diabetes vulnerable.

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