health care | ALXnow

Alexandria hospital’s replacement on track for opening in late 2028, Inova CEO says

Published June 18, 2026 at 11:45AM

Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark, April 13, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Inova Alexandria Hospital replacement and a new hospital to the south in Fairfax County remain on schedule for opening in late 2028 — potentially on the same day.

Meeting the timetable will be good news for the region’s economy, Inova Health System CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones said at a June 16 roundtable of Fairfax County’s Council for Economic Opportunity, a group of government and business leaders looking at high-level economic, development and technology trends. Jones called health care “the job engine and in many ways economic engine” of Northern Virginia.

News

Mayor Gaskins urges self-care after her dehydration scare during Sails on the Potomac

By Emily Leayman

Published June 15, 2026 at 10:00AM

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins (staff photo by James Cullum)

After a health scare and visit to the emergency room, Mayor Alyia Gaskins shared some advice for residents: “take care of yourself.”

Gaskins ended up in the emergency room due to severe dehydration during Sails on the Potomac‘s opening ceremony on Friday (June 12). City leaders were giving remarks to kick off the weekend-long festival.

News

ACPS teachers decry planned increases to health insurance premiums

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated May 9, 2026 at 12:16PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie KayWyatt unveils her amended Combined Funds FY2027 budget to the Alexandria School Board, May 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools staff are decrying the short notice given over an increase to their health insurance premiums, just a day before the month-long open enrollment period.

In an April 30 email, thousands of ACPS staff and retirees were told that health insurance premium rates will increase by 16% for UnitedHealthcare customers and by 8.9% for Kaiser Permanente customers, and that the changes will result in higher employee contributions. Employees who don’t go through the open enrollment process by 11:59 p.m. May 31 will lose their healthcare coverage.

News

Gov. Spanberger signs first group of bills on housing, health care, energy

By Emily Leayman

Published April 1, 2026 at 8:30AM

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills on March 31, 2026 (via Office of the Governor of Virginia)

After more than 1,200 bills passed in the Virginia General Assembly, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed the first set of bills tackling several areas of affordability.

The governor’s action marks the first major set of bills signed from the 2026 General Assembly session. Spanberger had previously signed voter referendum legislation allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting to go before voters on April 21. The signed bills address housing, health care and energy.

Around Town

Alexandria couple starts campaign to provide medical debt relief in Northern Virginia

By Emily Leayman

Published January 29, 2026 at 2:45PM

Scott and Kara Pitek (courtesy of Kara Pitek)

As the cost of health care continues to be a nationwide issue, an Alexandria couple has launched a fundraiser to help regional residents burdened by medical debt.

Scott and Kara Pitek introduced the campaign through the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which was established by former debt collectors to purchase and eliminate medical debt. Funds raised through the campaign will help residents facing medical debt in the City of Alexandria and Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties.

News

Preschooler with measles led to potential exposures in N. Va. last week

By Katie Taranto

Published January 21, 2026 at 12:30PM

Virginia Department of Health offices in Richmond. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for The Virginia Mercury)

The Alexandria Health Department is alerting city residents to recent measles exposures that occurred in Northern Virginia last week.

A preschool-aged child in the region who recently traveled internationally was confirmed to have measles, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The child visited three health care sites across Woodbridge and Falls Church from Jan. 13-18, which AHD notes may have led to potential exposures.

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New Health Department plan will seek to improve Alexandria’s mental wellness

By Katie Taranto

Published January 20, 2026 at 10:30AM

The entrance of the Alexandria Health Department (courtesy of the Alexandria Health Department)

Improving mental health across the city will be in focus in Alexandria’s next Community Health Improvement Plan.

Mental wellness is one of three topics that will be addressed in the city’s new CHIP, AHD announced last week. The topic was selected for further engagement after 47% of 2,020 respondents in the city’s 2025 Community Health Assessment survey selected “mental health” as their top community health issue.

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Kaine predicts small chance of a Senate vote to extend health care subsidies in community roundtable

By James Cullum

Published December 12, 2025 at 2:45PM | Updated December 12, 2025 at 3:06PM

(Left to right) Neighborhood Health CEO Dr. Basim Khan, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and Katie Baker of Protect Our Care at a roundtable discussion on healthcare at Neighborhood Health in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, Dec. 12, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

In a roundtable near Alexandria today, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said there is a small chance that the Senate will coalesce around a deal to prevent premium health care hikes for millions of Americans before next month.

Kaine made the statement surrounded by health care professionals at a Neighborhood Health clinic just south of Alexandria, in the wake of Thursday’s rejection of health care bills in the U.S. Senate to extend Affordable Care Act subsidy extensions passed in 2021 that will expire at the end of this year.

Around Town

Holiday ‘condom trees’ arrive at Alexandria clinic and bookstore

By Katie Taranto

Published December 11, 2025 at 1:45PM

Alexandria Health Department's holiday "condom tree" (courtesy of AHD)

New holiday trees from the Alexandria Health Department are seeking to spread cheer while preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

A small, artificial tree in AHD’s clinic waiting room at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) is decorated with about 20 to 30 sexual health items, including internal and external condoms, as well as fentanyl test strips. A second “condom tree” has been placed at Friends to Lovers Romance Book Store at 301 Cameron Street.

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Inova Alexandria Hospital gets top designation for maternity care in new national ranking

By James Cullum

Published December 11, 2025 at 10:00AM

Inova Alexandria Hospital (Image via Inova Alexandria Hospital/Facebook)

Inova Alexandia Hospital has been named one of the top hospitals in the country for maternity care in an annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

Alexandria’s hospital at 4320 Seminary Road was joined in the publication’s Fifth Annual 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care list by its sister hospitals, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital and Inova Loudoun Hospital. The facility was recognized as a birthing-friendly hospital, a designation measured by C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates and birthing-friendly practices, among other measures.

News

Inova Health Center in Oakville celebrates one-year anniversary

By James Cullum

Published December 3, 2025 at 10:00AM

Inova Health Center - Oakville (staff photo by James Cullum)

Inova Health Center — Oakville recently celebrated a milestone.

The health center opened to the public last November, and since then, more than 40,000 patients have received emergency, primary, specialty and surgical care, according to the hospital system.