HEALTH CARE
Tussle over State Health Plan public records
It’s been more than a month since the State Health Plan awarded a new contract to Aetna over Blue Cross Blue Shield, but the actual bids from each company haven’t yet been released as public records. That means we don’t yet know details about the provider networks offered by each …
Third insurer joins battle over Health Plan contract
Blue Cross Blue Shield isn’t the only insurance company filing a formal protest against the State Health Plan’s decision to switch to Aetna in 2023.
AFP backs marijuana, opposes Medicaid expansion
The influential conservative group Americans For Prosperity has released its legislative agenda for North Carolina this year.
Blue Cross appeals State Health Plan move
In a formal appeal filed Thursday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina says the State Health Plan used “arbitrary criteria and a distorted scoring system” in its decision to switch to Aetna starting in 2025.
State Health Plan officials complained about Blue Cross for months before switch
For months before the State Health Plan board voted to change insurance companies for the first time in over 40 years, staff and board members voiced concerns about the service they were getting from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
State Health Plan drops Blue Cross
Wednesday’s announcement that the State Health Plan will cut ties with Blue Cross Blue Shield after more than 40 years will shake up the health care landscape in North Carolina.
N.C. History: The infamous monkey bill
Sometimes an inside joke goes on so long that no one quite remembers the details of how it started (my book club has one of these, referencing a terrible book we read five years ago, and the jokes always confuse newer members). In the N.C. House, it’s the occasional reference …
Indian Affairs commission backs Medicaid expansion
The N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs recently passed a resolution calling for the state to expand Medicaid.
Cancer Society running Medicaid expansion ads
While legislative leaders have said they don’t expect further action on Medicaid expansion until next year, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network rolled out new basketball-themed ads this week calling for action.
Atrium merger draws criticism from Stein, Folwell
Atrium Health announced Friday that it's closed a merger deal with Illinois-based Advocate Aurora Health, forming a new health care organization called Advocate Health that will serve six million patients across six states.
Stein says he can't intervene in Atrium merger
Attorney General Josh Stein said late Thursday that he has no legal authority to block the proposed merger of Charlotte-based Atrium Health with Advocate Aurora of Illinois, but he still has concerns about the impact of the merger on health care in North Carolina.
Berger floats possibility of an abortion compromise next year
Abortion will clearly be one of the most contentious – and hardest to predict – issue that the legislature will tackle next year.
New report critical of Certificate of Need law
As negotiations over Certificate of Need regulations continue to tie up Medicaid expansion, the conservative Americans For Prosperity Foundation issued a report Monday criticizing the CON process for expanding health care infrastructure.
Legislative leaders discuss possible action on tax cuts, redistricting, abortion
Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters on Wednesday that they don’t expect to hold any votes during the brief scheduled legislative sessions later this month and in December. Moore, who’d previously floated the idea of a December session for action on redistricting and/or Medicaid expansion, …