{{Short description|Healthcare company based in Tennessee, US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Ballad Health | logo = File:BalladHealthLogo.png | former_name = Wellmont Health Systems/Mountain States Health Alliance | industry = Health care | founded = 2018 | hq_location = 408 N State of Franklin Rd., Johnson City, Tennessee | area_served = Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky | num_employees = 13,800<ref name="employeecount">{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Nic |title=Ballad Health announces many initiatives to keep employees after vaccine mandate |url=https://www.elizabethton.com/2022/02/18/ballad-health-announces-many-initiatives-to-keep-employees-after-vaccine-mandate/ |website=www.elizabethton.com |language=en |date=18 February 2022}}</ref> | hq_location_country = United States | website = {{URL|https://www.balladhealth.org/}} }} '''Ballad Health''' is a chain of hospitals headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee.<ref>{{cite web|last=Floyd|first=David|url=https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/ballad-health-keeps-eyes-on-mission-during-pandemic/article_f17aedca-9e1d-11eb-99ab-a3890a6a722e.html|title=Ballad Health keeps eyes on mission during pandemic|newspaper=Johnson City Press|date=2021-04-25|accessdate=2021-12-20|quote=303 Med Tech Parkway}} - The address is in Johnson City.</ref> It includes 20 hospitals, including Niswonger Children's Hospital and Woodridge Psychiatric Hospital, and numerous outpatient facilities in Tennessee and Virginia including urgent care centers and primary care locations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter-Nichols |first1=Stephanie |title=Urgent care clinic at Marion hospital reopens |url=https://swvatoday.com/community/wytheville/article_1ae138c2-a335-11ed-9ff0-ab79e2fb092a.html |website=SWVA Today |access-date=31 July 2023 |language=en |date=6 February 2023}}</ref> They operate a blood bank named Marsh Regional Blood Center.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Josh |title=Ballad chooses Marsh Regional Blood Center as exclusive blood supplier |url=https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/ballad-chooses-marsh-regional-blood-center-as-exclusive-blood-supplier/ |website=WJHL |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=17 August 2018}}</ref> The healthcare system's website states that its service area includes 29 counties, some of which are in Kentucky and North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.balladhealth.org/about-us|title=About Us|publisher=Ballad Health|accessdate=2021-12-20}}</ref>
In 2018 Ballad was formed through a Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) by the State of Tennessee (and a Cooperative Agreement in Virginia) which allowed for the merger of Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System.<ref>{{Cite web |title=COPA & Cooperative Agreement {{!}} Ballad Health |url=https://www.balladhealth.org/copa |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.balladhealth.org}}</ref> The Federal Trade Commission opposed the merger.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tennessee Department of Health Certificate of Public Advantage |url=https://www.tn.gov/health/copa |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.tn.gov |language=en}}</ref>
The current chairman, president, and CEO of Ballad Health is Alan Levine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.balladhealth.org/about/leadership/alan-levine|title=Leadership|last=Ballad Health |date=2024-12-08|website=Ballad Health|access-date=2024-12-08}}</ref> Levine's total compensation for 2024 was $2,247,795.<ref>{{cite web |last=ProPublica |date= |title=Ballad Health Executive Compensation |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/611771290 |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=ProPublica Non Profit Explorer}}</ref> Prior to acting as CEO, Levine was secretary for Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration under governor Jeb Bush <ref>{{Cite web |title=2005-up-and-comers-alan-levine - Modern Healthcare |url=http://www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/2005-up-and-comers-alan-levine/ |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=www.modernhealthcare.com |language=en}}</ref> and secretary of Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals for governor Bobby Jindal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hospital News and Healthcare Report |date=May 10, 2013 |title=Profile in Leadership: Broward Health President/CEO Tapped by Louisiana Governor-Elect to Lead Health Care Team |url=https://southfloridahospitalnews.com/profile-in-leadership-broward-health-president-ceo-tapped-by-louisiana-governor-elect-to-lead-health-care-team/ |access-date=December 10, 2025 |website=www.southfloridahospitalnews.com}}</ref> He also co-chaired the healthcare transition team for former Florida governor (and now senator) Rick Scott.<ref>{{cite web |last=Florida Democratic Party |date=2014-02-25 |title=Rick Scott 'oversaw the largest Medicare fraud' in U.S. history, Florida Democratic Party says |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/mar/03/florida-democratic-party/rick-scott-rick-scott-oversaw-largest-medicare-fra/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=PolitiFact}}</ref>
Under the COPA, Ballad has closed or converted several rural facilities with approval from the Tennessee and Virginia departments of health.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Eugenia Estes Staff |date=2021-03-20 |title=New Strong Futures Program To Be Housed On Greeneville West Campus |url=https://www.greenevillesun.com/special_sections/benchmarks/benchmarks_d/new-strong-futures-program-to-be-housed-on-greeneville-west-campus/article_6d016872-83ab-5793-82cd-7553716fe789.html |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=Greeneville Publishing Company |language=en}}</ref> Some community members and local officials have expressed concerns about the consolidation of facilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/12/06/six-years-into-an-appalachia-hospital-monopoly-patients-are-fearful-and-furious/|title=Six years into an Appalachia hospital monopoly, patients are fearful and furious|last=Kelman|first=Brett|newspaper=Tennessee Lookout|date=2024-12-06|access-date=2024-12-08}}</ref> In December 2025, S&P Global revised Ballad Health's credit outlook to positive.<ref>{{Cite web |last=jmazur@sixriversmedia.com |first=JOY MAZUR |date=2025-12-09 |title=S&P rates Ballad Health credit outlook positively |url=https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/s-p-rates-ballad-health-credit-outlook-positively/article_aaffb8b5-23a9-4192-8e19-378eae3a59e3.html |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=Johnson City Press |language=en}}</ref>
==History== Ballad Health was created in 2018 when Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health Systems agreed to merge together through the issuance of a certificate of public advantage (COPA) in Tennessee and a cooperative agreement in Virginia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=COPA & Cooperative Agreement {{!}} Ballad Health |url=https://www.balladhealth.org/copa |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=www.balladhealth.org}}</ref>
Lee County Community Hospital, which had closed in 2013, was reopened by Ballad Health in July 2021.<ref name="Keeling">{{cite web |last=Keeling |first=Jeff |date=2021-03-12 |title=Consultant to Va. oversight board: Without merger savings, Lee Co. Community Hospital may not have reopened |url=https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/consultant-to-va-oversight-board-without-merger-savings-lee-co-community-hospital-may-not-have-reopened/ |accessdate=2021-12-20 |publisher=WJHL}}</ref>
Dennis Barry, a monitor for the Southwest Virginia Health Authority, stated that the Ballad merger may have prevented many Virginians from losing health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rife|first=Luanne|url=https://roanoke.com/business/local/without-ballad-merger-monitor-says-virginians-could-have-lost-health-care-when-they-needed-it/article_0d5ed96e-8278-11eb-bd42-cfa3a94b5e6f.html|title=Without Ballad merger, monitor says Virginians could have lost health care when they needed it most|newspaper=The Roanoke Times|date=2021-03-11|accessdate=2021-12-20}}</ref>
In 2022, Ballad Health launched a virtual urgent care option.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Keeling |first1=Jeff |title=Get 'seen' from home: Ballad rolls out virtual urgent care option |url=https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/get-seen-from-home-ballad-rolls-out-virtual-urgent-care-option/ |website=WJHL |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=16 November 2022}}</ref>
Ballad Health reported a $40 million net operating loss for discal year 2023, its first annual operating loss since the merger.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ballad operating loss $40 million for fiscal year '23 |url=https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/ballad-loses-40-million-in-fiscal-year-ended-june-30/ |website=WJHL |access-date=29 August 2023 |date=16 August 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official|https://www.balladhealth.org}}
Category:Healthcare in Tennessee Category:Healthcare in Virginia Category:Healthcare in Kentucky Category:Healthcare in North Carolina Category:Medical and health organizations based in Tennessee Category:Johnson City, Tennessee Category:2018 establishments in Tennessee Category:Hospital networks in the United States Category:Appalachia Category:American companies established in 2018 Category:2018 establishments in Virginia