News

Dr. R. Bob Mullins, Jr. appointed Alabama Medicaid Commissioner

1/31/2011

 

 

Longtime family physician R. Bob Mullins, Jr., MD, has been appointed Alabama Medicaid Commissioner by Governor Robert Bentley. He joins the Agency after 37 years in private practice in the east Alabama city of Valley.

 

A 1968 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Dr. Mullins interned at Lloyd Noland Hospital in Fairfield, Ala., served two years in the U.S. Army, and completed a two-year General Practice residency in Columbus, Ga., before beginning his private practice in 1973.

 

“Dr. Mullins is a family doctor of long standing and is eminently qualified to be Medicaid director,” Governor Bentley said. “He understands the issues our Medicaid agency faces from the provider side as well as the patient and health care institutions’ perspective. I have every confidence that he is the right man for the job and will work with all those affected by our Medicaid agency.”

 

In addition to his practice, Dr. Mulllins has been involved in a variety of local and state health care organizations, beginning in 1978 when he volunteered to help start an Impaired Physicians Committee for the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA). He served on its Executive Committee until 1988.

 

His service to MASA continued in 1989 when he assumed the office of Vice Speaker of the House of Delegates and College of Counselors, a post he held until his election to Speaker of the House in 1995. He held that position through 1997. In addition, he served as Alternate Delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates from 1990 to 1999 and as Delegate from 2000 to 2001. He served as President of MASA for 2004-2005.

 

In early 1989, Dr. Mullins served as Chairman of MASA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Rural and Indigent Care and later that same year served on both the Manpower and Finance subcommittees of the Alabama Legislative Rural Health Task Force. As a result of the Alabama Legislature’s response to the Task Force’s recommendations, the Alabama Family Practice Rural Health Board was created in 1990 and Dr. Mullins served on its Executive Committee until 2003, the last year as Committee Chairman. He was reappointed to the Board in 2004 and served until 2007. Also in 1990, Dr. Mullins served on the organizing committee of the Physician’s Alabama Opportunity Fair.

 

Community activities have included Leadership Alabama Class II, the Board of Directors for Chambers County/Bradshaw Library, the Board of Trustees for Lanier Health Services and Chattahoochee Valley Healthcare Foundation, the Steering Committee for the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce’s Project Leadership and the Executive Committee of the National Physician’s Center for Family Resources.

 

Dr. Mullins and his wife Jeannene have three children and nine grandchildren. His interests include bioethics, gardening and classical music