North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is calling on motorists to focus solely on the road and do all they can to help prevent accidents during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which runs throughout April across the United States.
All in Health
The Case Against School Vouchers on Steroids
Following his declaration of 2024 as the Year of Public Schools, Governor Roy Cooper is illustrating the risks the extreme Republican voucher plan poses to children and public schools, where more than 8 in 10 North Carolina children attend school . Today, the Governor released a new video walking through the problems with this voucher plan on steroids, along with a new fact sheet and web page.
Op-Ed: Employers Are Letting Their Employees Down and Hurting the Health System When They Don’t Support Weight Loss
Helping to change to trajectory of obesity and chronic disease is good for employers’ and for employees’ health and saves the health system money. Moreover, people with obesity are more likely to experience other health conditions, like depression, cancer and heart disease, that cause people to miss work.
One Year After Signing Medicaid Expansion Law, Governor Cooper Celebrates the Progress as Other States Look to North Carolina’s Playbook
Today marks the one year anniversary of Governor Roy Cooper signing Medicaid expansion into law, making North Carolina the 40th state to join this critical program. Just under 4 months since expansion went into effect, nearly 400,000 North Carolinians have gained access to affordable, quality health care. As North Carolina shows tremendous success with the program, holdout states are looking to Governor Cooper’s leadership as a model for how they too can expand Medicaid.
Attorney General Josh Stein Urges Cigna and Unified Women’s Healthcare to Maintain Coverage for Patients
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today urged Cigna and Unified Women’s Healthcare (UWH) to reach an agreement so women do not lose access to affordable OB/GYN care.
N.C. Department of Labor Chooses Not to Adopt Infectious Disease Petitions
After thoughtful consideration of the petitions received on December 14, 2022, I, Josh Dobson, Commissioner of Labor, have made the decision not to adopt either of the proposed rules, to include the General Industry/Construction Infectious Diseases and the Airborne Infectious Diseases for Migrant Housing and Agricultural employers.
US EPA to Announce Clean Ports Program, $3 Billion in Federal Funding for Ports Across US
Gov. Cooper joined United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan in Wilmington to announce the EPA’s Clean Ports Program, which includes $3 billion of federal money to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure, along with climate and air quality planning, at U.S. ports.
Attorney General Josh Stein Leads Bipartisan Coalition Pushing for Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reforms
Attorney General Josh Stein led a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general calling on Congress to help lower drug costs for Americans by reforming how pharmacy benefit managers operate.
Don’t Let Scammers Break Your Account or Your Heart
During February, we often think about making connections and building new relationships. Relationships bring joy and connection – but unfortunately, scammers love to prey on other people’s hope and happiness.
Governor Cooper Hosts Veterans Roundtable on Supporting Veterans’ Transition to Civilian Life
Governor Roy Cooper hosted a veterans roundtable discussion focused on supporting North Carolina’s veterans during the transition to civilian life and beyond.
Op-Ed: Oversight or Oversight? 5 Ways the FDA Failed the Public This Year
“This product has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.” That endorsement should be the gold standard by which consumers make smart choices about the medications they use and products they trust. Unfortunately, each year the FDA lets many severely defective drugs and products slip though.
Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Incentivize Better Health Care at Lower Costs
Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently introduced the Value in Health Care Act, bipartisan legislation that would update the program parameters of Medicare’s Alternative Payment Models (APMs) to incentivize participation in Accountable Care Organizations (ACO).
John Hood: Lawmakers Should Close Health Plan Hole
During the 2023 fiscal year, the federal government ran a $1.7 trillion deficit. That’s an increase of $320 billion, or 23%, over last year’s deficit. And the worst is yet to come.
Op-Ed: Action Urged on PBM Reform
It is hard enough to manage the high out-of-pocket expenses that come with the prescription medications I rely on without having to worry about greedy insurers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers using every trick in the book to boost their profits at the expense of patient access and affordability.
Murphy Introduces Legislation to Prevent Medicare Physician Reimbursement Cuts
Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. has introduced legislation, the Preserving Seniors' Access to Physicians Act, a bipartisan measure to prevent the full Medicare physician fee schedule cuts from being implemented on January 1, 2024.
Op-Ed: Something must be done about NC’s oral health care crisis
Approximately 600,000 adults in North Carolina are now receiving Medicaid health coverage as the result of Medicaid expansion this month. Preventing disease and providing early treatment for people is a critical step toward a healthier North Carolina. Unfortunately, despite Medicaid coverage, many of these folks will have limited access to oral health car
North Carolina Democrats Demand an End to Political Gamesmanship
On March 23rd, Republican leadership joined Democrats at the Governor’s mansion to celebrate the long overdue passage of Medicaid expansion—promising to (finally) deliver access to affordable healthcare to 600,000 North Carolinians upon the adoption of a state budget.
State Treasurer Folwell Releases Report Exposing Hospital Noncompliance with Federal Price Transparency Rules and Huge Price Markups
North Carolina State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, released a report today that shows extreme variations in hospital prices, huge price markups from Medicare rates, and widespread failures in price transparency.
Stein Leads Bipartisan Coalition Pushing FDA to Protect Kids from E-Cigarette
Attorney General Josh Stein today led a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its Center for Tobacco Products to do more to protect kids from e-cigarettes.
Rep. John Bell Endorses Rep. Jon Hardister for NC Labor Commissioner
Raleigh, NC- Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) announced the endorsement of Rep. John Bell. (R Wayne, Majority Leader) for his campaign for NC Labor Commissioner.