Community News

RALEIGH, NC – December 20, 2023 – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has a new dashboard to track enrollment each month for people who have obtained health coverage from the expansion of Medicaid. It can be found at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports. The Dashboard will show enrollment trends. It has a breakdown by county and by many demographics. The first Medicaid expansion (ME) enrollees lost their full-benefit Medicaid insurance when the COVID national emergency ended in April because they made too much money. However, HHS enrolled these people in a limited Medicaid benefit plan that provides family planning benefits for people who make up to 195 percent of the federal poverty level. There are almost 300 thousand North Carolinians, including more than 6 thousand people from Buncombe County, who were automatically enrolled in Medicaid.

On December 1^st, North Carolina officially became the 40^th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. ME was in the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and left to each state to decide in a subsequent Supreme Court ruling. The ME bill was passed by the General Assembly in March and tied to the state budget that was passed in September.

ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families with earnings between 100 to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. It is estimated that 600 thousand more North Carolinians will be eligible for Medicaid, including almost 17 thousand from Buncombe County. Preparation has included enrollment events, training for groups that provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries, and hiring staff to register eligible people.

There are many ways to apply for NC Medicaid. Applications can be taken by phone, email, fax, or in person. Buncombe County residents can apply for Medicaid online and at any time at ePASS.NC.gov. Applications can be done in-person at the HHS Building on 40 Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville, by calling 828-250-5500, or by mail. A printable application can be obtained online at the NCDHHS website.

Kody Kinsley, the head of the NCDHHS, recently released a statement, “Hundreds of people each day are gaining health care coverage and getting the care they need. Our work continues with state and community partners to support enrollment efforts to ensure as many people as possible can get covered.”

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

ASHEVILLE, NC –  January 3, 2024 – COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections like influenza (the flu) and RSV can spread through holiday gatherings and travel. The flu and RSV have been around prior to the COVID pandemic. However, COVID has made us aware that we can take steps to reduce spreading these respiratory viruses when getting together during the holidays. Therefore, persons who are more susceptible to getting sick like older adults and the immunocompromised have become more cautious.

The COVID-19 metrics are on the CDC’s COVID Dashboard. For the week ending on December 23^rd

• Hospital admission levels are low in 81 of 100 counties in North Carolina, including Buncombe County, and about 62% of the counties in the U.S. However, they have increased in North Carolina and increased in Buncombe County from the previous week.
• About 3.0% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 3^rd lowest level of 6 groups and increased from last week.
• Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are low in North Carolina. This represents about 2.0% of all ER visits, the 2^nd lowest of 5 levels and an increase from the previous week.

The CDC’s weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending on December 23^rd indicate that levels are at high and very high levels for every southern state from California to the Southeast including North Carolina.

For the week ending on December 16^th, the CDC reports the 3-week average for the percent positivity for RSV PCR tests in North Carolina has climbed to greater than 10% since November 11^th.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, the CDC director, told Yahoo Life, if you are starting to feel sick with a cough, sore throat or fever: get tested, get treatment, and stay home.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC – 2024 – You can have an impact on keeping Asheville healthy by casting your vote in 2024. Don’t forget that, elected state officials proposed Medicaid expansion (ME) bills in 2022 to increase access to health care for many people and ratified it in 2023.

On December 1^st, North Carolina officially became the 40^th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. The state legislature had resisted any attempt to pass Medicaid expansion for more than a decade, in spite of strong support by the governor. However, 75% of North Carolinians (including a majority of Republicans and Democrats) wanted to improve the health of low-income persons and expand Medicaid according to a 2020 opinion poll.

The past decade was the time for a grassroots effort to remind our representatives that a strong bipartisan majority of North Carolinians want to expand Medicaid to improve the physical and financial health of low-income persons. A call to action was made to include letters and phone calls to the state legislators. Many non-profit organizations like Care4Carolina formed to support expanding access to healthcare. Without the ability to have a voter referendum in North Carolina, the will of the people was temporarily stalled. Therefore, it was of the upmost importance for everyone to persuade each elected state official to support Medicaid expansion or to vote for representatives that do.

ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families with earnings from 100 percent of the federal poverty level to 138 percent. It is estimated that 600 thousand more North Carolinians will be eligible for Medicaid, including almost 17 thousand people from Buncombe County. The benefits of expanding Medicaid in North Carolina include:

• Keeping the newly insured healthier and living longer. Some examples are earlier cancer diagnosis, fewer cancer deaths, and better access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment
• Fewer personal financial hardship cases and bankruptcies
• A stronger economy by creating jobs, growing business activity and bringing in more revenue to the state including billions of federal dollars annually to support behavioral health, public safety, and rural health care

Grassroots efforts by many North Carolinians resulted in an energized majority of citizens leading the charge at the polls. The voters in 2020 and 2022 had a strong role in choosing state legislators that overturned years of avoiding Medicaid expansion.

There are many health-related issues that can be decided at the polls in 2024:

• Climate change
• Woman’s reproductive health
• Health care access
• Vaccination
• Gun violence

Choosing a candidate in 2024 has everything to do with keeping Asheville healthy because everyone needs their health in order to live. However, our two-party system is strongly divided on health-related issues right now. Therefore, get out & vote for your health in 2024 so you can win at the ballot box and everyone can benefit.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC –  December 27, 2023 – COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections like influenza (the flu) and RSV can spread through holiday gatherings and travel. Prior to the COVID pandemic, these other diseases have been around. However, COVID has made us aware that we can take steps to reduce spreading these respiratory viruses when getting together during the holidays. Therefore, persons who are more susceptible to getting sick like older adults and the immunocompromised have become more cautious.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that hospital admissions due to COVID-19 illness for the week ending December 16^th are low in 95 of 100 counties in North Carolina, including Buncombe County, and about 2 thirds of the counties in the U.S. However, there is a surge of respiratory disease like the flu and RSV as people spend more time indoors during the winter months and due to an increase in indoor gatherings and travel during the holidays.

The CDC reports that the weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending on December 16^th indicate that levels are at high and very high levels for every southern state from California to the Southeast including North Carolina.

For the week ending on December 16^th, the CDC reports the 3-week average for the percent positivity for RSV PCR tests has climbed to about 12% since November 11^th.

Here’s some general recommendations:

• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home
• Eligible persons should consider getting the updated COVID shot, the annual flu shot and the new RSV vaccine 1-2 weeks before getting together. Vaccination can reduce the risk of developing severe illness and becoming hospitalized.
• Wash hands frequently
• Improve ventilation. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoors; small gatherings are safer than large; and indoor gatherings are safer in larger spaces with the windows and doors open to allow fresh air to circulate

If people are at high risk to get sick:

• Consider wearing a high-quality medical mask in indoor public spaces and when on public transportation

Be extra protective if you are having guests from out of town. Here’s some advice:

• Test for COVID before attending gatherings outside the house with at-risk people
• Don’t go to indoor gatherings about a week prior to arrival
• Have a plan in place for access to COVID-19 medicine if needed

If you are starting to feel sick with a cough, sore throat or fever, Dr. Mandy Cohen, the CDC director, gave her recommendations to Yahoo Life: get tested, get treatment, and stay home

Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells USA Today.com that COVID-19 cases should increase over the winter as they have the past 3 years. The risk of transmission can also increase during the upcoming holiday season when many people get together indoors.

New COVID-19 variants continue to infect people and will still be around in 2024. However, more and more Americans have developed some immunity from vaccination and previous infection. Therefore, we have to protect at-risk groups who remain susceptible to getting severely ill.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]