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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]

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]

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]