In 2017, with the goal of positively impacting the health and wellness of Alabamians, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health received $1.5 million from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBS) to establish the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Endowed Chair in Health Economics, the School of Public Health’s first endowed chair. This generous gift strengthened the long-standing partnership between UAB and BCBS and underscored the ongoing BCBS mission to provide Alabamians access to quality health care at the most affordable price possible.
The endowed chair will mount an independent and externally funded research program with a primary focus on health economics, health policy and health services research, with emphasis on the health challenges pertinent to the population of Alabama. While the primary role is research, the endowed chair will be a thought leader, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, mentor the next generation of scholars, and develop relationships with community stakeholders in Alabama.
