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RALEIGH – June 22, 2022 – On June 22^nd, House of Representatives Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) presented an alternative proposal to close the health insurance gap. This represents a counterproposal to House Bill 149 (HB 149) that was sent to him by the Senate after near unanimous approval on June 1^st. Moore’s bill would provide health care coverage for up to 600,000 low-income North Carolinians who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to qualify for insurance subsidies provided under the Affordable Care Act. He said, “I wanted to make sure we didn’t do anything that would be a disincentive to folks going to work that would encourage someone who was otherwise able-bodied, to try to avoid work and supporting themselves over something.”

The new House proposal would also create a job services program for Medicaid enrollees who are out-of-work, with training, employment services, and job placement. However, a recent study has shown that 76% of eligible people for Medicaid expansion already have a job.

The bill creates another study group to examine Medicaid expansion and calls for legislators to reconvene in December — after this fall’s election — for the actual vote on expanding the Medicaid program. Only two months ago, another legislative committee met to study Medicaid expansion and access to health care.

Moore’s bill does not include the two controversial provisions contained in HB 149, eliminating the certificate of need law and allowing advanced practice registered nurses to provide patient care without physician supervision, that have alienated hospitals and physicians respectively.

Neither Medicaid expansion bill would cost the state any additional funds and incentives will bring significant funds into the state. The federal government will reduce each state’s cost by 90% (worth billions of dollars annually) and the remaining state’s cost would be covered by hospital assessments (a feature of both bills). Hospitals are supportive because more patients would be covered by health insurance. The Biden administration has offered an additional $1.5 billion incentive for each of the remaining states to expand Medicaid. Moore would use a billion of those dollars to address mental health services and treatment for substance use disorders.

The bill is expected to be ready for a House vote soon. The short session usually ends just before the 4^th of July.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

RALEIGH, NC –  June 17 –  Last week, the North Carolina Sheriffs Association, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, ECU Health, the state’s largest rural health care provider, and UNC Health, one of the largest hospital systems in North Carolina, supported House Bill 149 (HB 149), calling on lawmakers to pass Medicaid expansion along with some other changes in health industry regulations. The Senate recently passed HB 149 by a near unanimous vote. The bill combines Medicaid expansion with provisions to eliminate the certificate of need law, covers telehealth services, prevents surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers, and allows advanced practice registered nurses to provide patient care without physician supervision.

In a letter to House and Senate leadership, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association feels that expanding Medicaid would reduce the number of individuals who commit crimes and enhance public safety by providing health care to a significant number of people in county jails suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders.

The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners is in favor of Medicaid expansion because it would “reduce rising healthcare-related economic pressures at the local level, increase the availability of care for patients, and help struggling rural hospitals.”

The hospital systems praised expanding Medicaid through the influx of billions of federal dollars for hospitals by providing insurance to hundreds of thousands of the state’s working poor. However, both health care systems are wary of a negative economic effect by the proposed rollback in the state’s certificate of need program.

The pressure on state legislatures to expand Medicaid is increasing. Last week, House Republicans introduced an alternative bill for Medicaid expansion. The legislative session should conclude by early July.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – June 29, 2022 – The Buncombe County COVID-19 metrics are on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard. Data from the week ending on June 18^th indicate:

• The CDC reports that the risk level for Buncombe County is low for the week ending June 23^rd. For a community at a low risk level, the CDC recommends:
  • Have well ventilated indoor spaces
  • If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and take additional precautions.
• There are 182 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days down from 224 cases from the previous week.
• 66% of the total population have received their full primary vaccination series. This is unchanged for over 3 months
• 64% of people with full primary vaccination series have had at least one booster. This is unchanged from last week.
• The seven-day daily average of COVID-19 hospitalizations has decreased since last week and of ICU patients are unchanged over the previous week.
• Wastewater surveillance may provide an early warning before individual testing shows that COVID-19 is spreading. The state dashboard reports that the 15-day rate of change of viral load for the Metropolitan Sewer District for Buncombe County is moderately increasing for the time period ending June 15^th. The CDC website reports no change for the time period ending June 22^nd.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Get vaccinated and boosted when eligible.
• People with any COVID symptoms or exposure to someone with COVID should get tested
• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home

Vaccination sites and testing sites can be located through the North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services.

Save your face masks:

• The risk level may rise with a new variant
• A person at high risk for severe illness should speak with their health care provider
• Mask wearing is recommended for persons with a positive test, having symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19
• Effective May 4, 2022, the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services and the CDC recommend wearing masks in health care and long-term care settings. The N95 or KN95 mask offers the best protection. Wear a mask that is well-fitting.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

WASHINGTON –  June 17 – On June 17^th, the Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for young children, infants and toddlers one day after an independent advisory panel unanimously recommended them; and one day later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccine after their advisory panel unanimously approved the vaccine for this age group. The American Medical Association, the American Association of Pediatrics and the National Association of Nurse Practitioners also support these vaccines. Moderna’s vaccine has been recommended for children ages 6 months to 5 years old and Pfizer’s for children ages 6 months to 4 years old. This will cover close to 18 million kids. The data showed that the vaccines were safe and effective at preventing disease in this age group. The White House has allowed states to order millions of doses ahead of time. Shipments to doctors’ offices and pediatric care facilities will follow. Vaccinations may begin as soon as June 21^st. The timeline would give parents the opportunity to get their children fully vaccinated before the beginning of the next school year. White House COVID-19 coordinator Ashish Jha said 3 weeks ago, “Our expectation is that within weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able to get an appointment.” Parents of young children have been waiting more than a year for shots for their kids.

Even though it is known that young children are generally at low risk to develop serious illness, vaccination can reduce the incidence of severe illness and potential problems such as long Covid and death. Officials from the C.D.C. said that more than half of young children hospitalized with Covid had no underlying medical conditions. During the Omicron wave last winter, young children were hospitalized at a higher rate than older children and adolescents, and their illness tended to be at least as severe. According to the CDC, more than 30 thousand children ages 6 months through 4 years old have been hospitalized and there have been 442 deaths from COVID-19. According to Paul Offitt, director of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “Covid is one of the top 10 killers of children.”

Vaccination also lowers the rate of virus transmission and will help to reduce the impact of COVID-19 since children can spread the virus to adults who may be more vulnerable to getting sick. Therefore, the more people who become vaccinated, the lower the rate of infection and virus transmission to others.

Seventy percent of the population in Buncombe County have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and the 5 to 11-year-old age group has the lowest vaccination rates at 35%. However, younger children may prove to be more difficult to vaccinate. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that only 18% of parents of children under 5 are likely to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as the vaccine is available. Therefore, it is important for the Public Health Department to get the message out about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.

 

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – June 3, 2022 – The Buncombe County COVID-19 metrics are on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard. Data from the week ending on June 11^th indicate:

• The CDC reports that the risk level for Buncombe County is medium for the week ending June 13^th. For a community at a medium risk level, the CDC recommends:
  • Wear a mask on public transportation.
  • You may choose to wear a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect yourself and others.
  • If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and take additional precautions.
• There are 224 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days down from 232 cases from the previous week.
• 66% of the total population have received their full primary vaccination series. This is unchanged for over 3 months
• 64% of people with full primary vaccination series have had at least one booster. This is unchanged from last week.
• The seven-day daily average of COVID-19 hospitalizations and of ICU patients have both increased over the previous week.
• Wastewater surveillance may provide an early warning before individual testing shows that COVID-19 is spreading. The state dashboard reports that the 15-day rate of change of viral load for the Metropolitan Sewer District for Buncombe County is severely increasing for the time period ending June 8^th. The CDC website reports that the rate of change is moderately decreasing for the time period ending June 12^th.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Get vaccinated and boosted when eligible.
• People with any COVID symptoms or exposure to someone with COVID should get tested
• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home

Vaccination sites and testing sites can be located through the North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services.

Save your face masks:

• The risk level may rise with a new variant
• A person at high risk for severe illness should speak with their health care provider
• Mask wearing is recommended for persons with a positive test, having symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19
• Effective May 4, 2022, the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services and the CDC recommend wearing masks in health care and long-term care settings. The N95 or KN95 mask offers the best protection. Wear a mask that is well-fitting.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

June 3, 2022 – Gun violence has become a public health issue. Tragic mass shootings occur more frequently in our schools, at the workplace and in public places where people shop. Fear grips many parents that their children may be shot on the way to school or playing in the yard.  Dr. Kelly Henry, a pediatric physician and parent of twin girls, has seen much trauma associated with gun violence.

She is conflicted with thoughts of joy and sorrow. “It is my twin girls’ last day of first grade. They run out to me so proud, beaming with excitement for the start of the summer. Their arms open and inviting. I hug them so tight. I do not want to let them go. To them, I am their proud mom excited for them to enjoy their summer filled with ice cream, swimming, and play dates with friends. Through them I see the faces of the children who were equally proud and excited for summer. The ones that will never have an opportunity to run to their parents and loved ones at the end of the school year.  I hold my kids so tight. Thankful that they are alive.”

Every day, gun violence is taking the lives of our children. For the first time, it surpassed car accidents in 2020 to become the number one cause of death for children and young adults in the United States. Over 45,000 people died by firearms in the United States in 2020. More than double this amount are injured by firearms every year.

Recent research on gun violence has revealed that storing a firearm locked and unloaded, and storing ammunition separately can be a deterrent to unwanted criminal behavior. The safe storage of firearms in homes where children are present leads to a decreased risk for unintentional injury and suicide in children.  Another significant finding is that almost 80% of school shooters obtain the gun from their home or the home of a relative.

Dr. Henry feels that the answer to the gun violence crisis is common sense gun policies such as universal background checks on all firearm purchases, banning assault rifles, instituting safe storage laws, having extreme risk protection laws to prevent dangerous people from purchasing or keeping firearms, and funding community-based violence interventions. Public awareness and education on the importance of preventing children’s access to guns should become a top priority. She opines that “We can and should do more for our children. Their lives are literally depending on us.”

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

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

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour