Healthcare Freedom

Healthcare decisions should be made by patients, families, and doctors, not dictated by federal bureaucrats in Washington. Dr. Stewart Tankersley believes Alabama is better positioned to understand the needs of its people and should have the authority to shape healthcare policy that reflects the values and priorities of its communities.

As a physician who has cared for Alabama families for decades, Dr. Tankersley has seen firsthand how one-size-fits-all federal mandates can complicate care, drive up costs, and create unnecessary barriers between doctors and patients.

Excessive regulation makes it harder for local hospitals, rural clinics, and independent physicians to deliver the care their communities depend on.

That reality became even clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when leadership mattered most, Dr. Tankersley saw how decisions made far from Alabama often did not reflect what physicians and families were experiencing on the ground. He became a vocal advocate for protecting the doctor-patient relationship and preserving individual medical decision-making, speaking out against what he described as a “Fauci First” approach that relied too heavily on centralized mandates rather than medical judgment and local realities.

He believes that period exposed a larger problem. Too often, government shut down debate, ignored common sense, and expected compliance instead of listening to the people it serves. Dr. Tankersley spoke up, asked difficult questions, and pushed for accountability because he believes leadership means stepping forward, not standing silent.

That experience reinforced a core principle that guides his approach today: healthcare must remain patient-centered. Medical decisions should be guided by professional judgment and the needs of individuals, not by political mandates or distant bureaucracy.

Dr. Tankersley supports a stronger role for states like Alabama in shaping healthcare policy, giving local leaders and medical professionals the flexibility to improve access, strengthen rural healthcare systems, and reduce costs without being constrained by policies that do not reflect real-world conditions.

As Lieutenant Governor, he will work with the Governor and the Alabama Legislature to defend the state’s role in healthcare decision-making, reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, and support practical reforms that keep care accessible and affordable.

Alabama deserves leadership that listens, respects people, and understands how policy affects real lives.