WASHINGTON, DC – September 14, 2022 – The Healthy Opportunities Pilots is a new  federal pilot program that focuses on improving the health of Medicaid beneficiaries. It was launched earlier this year. The program incorporates evidenced-based non-medical interventions related to food, transportation, housing assistance, interpersonal safety and toxic stress reduction. The federal government has dedicated up to $650 million of additional Medicaid funding over the next five years. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for implementing this program. The program will maintain equity and timeliness of the operations while strengthening the capacity for each community to provide services. The pilot study will evaluate the effect of the interventions on improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Upon a successful review, the pilot program will be expanded throughout the state.

 

In 2018, the federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved a proposal by the state of North Carolina for a transition from a fee-for-service delivery system for Medicaid recipients to a managed care program in order to improve health outcomes and reduce the cost of health care. As part of this transition plan, the federal government will allow the state to begin a pilot program to study the economic savings and health improvements that result from incorporating evidenced- based non-medical interventions.  Eighty percent of a person’s health is determined by social and environmental factors.

 

The pilot program will take place in 3 geographic regions in North Carolina. One is in the western part of the state including Buncombe County and the other 2  are located in the eastern part of the state. There are 29 non-medical interventions that will be evaluated. These services will be provided to eligible N.C. Medicaid recipients who live in a Pilot region with at least one health condition or social risk factor as determined by their Medicaid Health Plan. Payment for these goods and services will be covered by the funding for the pilot program.

 

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

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ASHEVILLE, NC – September 6, 2022 – The Buncombe County Department of Health & Human Services (BCDHHS) will partner with 103.3 AshevilleFM and The Getaway River Bar to hold a monkeypox vaccination clinic today September 14^th from 6-10 PM at the bar’s location at 790 Riverside Drive in Asheville. The BCDHHS Mobile Team will administer the vaccines. According to Public Health Director Stacie Saunders, some doses of the new COVID-19 booster doses will also be available at the event.

Vaccinations to protect against monkeypox are now available for:

• Anyone who had close contact in the past two weeks with someone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox
• Gay or bisexual men or transgender individuals who report any of the following in the last 90 days:
  • Having multiple sex partners or anonymous sex
  • Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection
  • Receiving medications to prevent HIV infection (PrEP)

One of the strongest needs of the Buncombe County Department of Health & Human Services has been to have an equity-focused vaccination effort to reach underserved rural communities and populations. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been additional federal funding for public health at the community level. As a result, the Department has recently used some of these funds to purchase a mobile van and hire a team of 6 people including nurses and emergency medical technicians. According to Stacie Saunders at the September 6th Buncombe County Commissioners’ Briefing, the Team is ramping up their vaccination efforts throughout western North Carolina by having 6 previous monkeypox clinics and scheduling 3 more in the future. They are planning to expand their vaccination efforts to COVID-19 boosters, primary COVID vaccination and flu shots in addition to other types of vaccinations. Further expansion will include testing for different illnesses like COVID-19 and having health outreach clinics. At the recent Buncombe County media question & answer session on September 7^th, Stacie Saunders remarked that it is important to the Department “for equity purposes have to take services on the road.”

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

 

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

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ASHEVILLE, NC – September 14, 2022 – Here is this week’s Buncombe County COVID-19 update.

The CDC reports that the transmission level for Buncombe County is low for the week ending September 8th. Most of North Carolina is low or medium although 26 out of 100 counties are at a high transmission level. Most of the counties in the U.S. are at a low or medium level with only 17% of the counties at a high level. For a community at a low transmission level, the CDC recommends:

• 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.

The Buncombe County COVID-19 metrics are on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard. Data from the week ending on September 7^th indicate:

• There have been 136 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days down from 132 cases in the previous week.
• 67% of the total population have received their full primary vaccination series. Unchanged the past 5 weeks.
• 66% of people with their full primary vaccination series have had at least one booster. This is unchanged over the past 3 weeks.
• The seven-day daily average of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 57 and has decreased by 10 since last week, and of ICU patients is 7 and has increased by 1 since 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 Buncombe County is moderately decreasing for the time period ending August 31th. The CDC website reports that the 15-day rate of change of viral load is moderately decreasing for the time period ending September 1^st.

The FDA and the CDC approved a new COVID booster that targets the original virus and the new dominant BA.4 and BA.5 variants. This new booster will replace the previous booster shot that had targeted only the original version of the virus. However, the original vaccine will still be used for persons who have not received the full primary vaccination series. The booster shots will be available at the Department of Public Health Coxe Avenue vaccination clinic, pharmacies, community health centers and rural health clinics. Eligible persons 12 years old and up can have the booster. They must be at least 2 months after any prior COVID-19 shots and have had the full primary vaccination series. The CDC advises that people who recently had COVID consider delaying their boosters until 3 months after their symptoms started or after a positive COVID test if they were asymptomatic.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
• 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
• Persons with a positive test, having symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should protect themselves and others by wearing a mask.
• 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