Health Care

A recent survey sponsored by Care4Carolina gauged the opinions of registered voters in North Carolina about health care issues and Medicaid expansion. There are wide-ranging results concerning voters’ support of “closing the coverage gap,” Medicaid Expansion, and other healthcare-related issues. The survey shows overwhelming support for Medicaid expansion. However,…

Americans, and especially our country’s youth, were already experiencing a mental health reckoning before the novel coronavirus. Now, 5 months into the pandemic, there is evidence COVID-19 is acting like an accelerant thrown on the fire that is America’s mental health crisis. A new survey released by the Centers…

Greensboro-based Cone Health and Norfolk, VA-based Sentara Healthcare on Wednesday announced plans to merge the two hospital systems. Tara Bannow from Modern Healthcare reported, The CEOs of both not-for-profit health systems shot down the notion that the proposed deal is happening in response to pressures caused by…

The non-profit RIP Medical Debt was given the green light to work directly with providers to eliminate medical debt for low-income patients. Alex Kacik for Modern Healthcare reported, HHS’ Office of Inspector General recently said it will not penalize health systems and large…

In some non-COVID related health news, the New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) is moving forward with its proposed research and clinical partnership with Novant Health and UNC Health. The New Hanover Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to move forward with the proposed affiliation, which has drawn criticism from…

A federal judge ruled the Department of Health and Human Services’ rule to force hospitals to disclose their negotiated prices with insurers was legal. The rule, introduced last November, was quickly challenged in court by America’s powerful hospital lobby. Michael Brady of Modern Healthcare reported: During …

When the Coronavirus began to spread in the U.S., no one knew what to expect. Public health officials weren’t sure what infections, hospitalizations, or deaths would look like in our country compared to others. Now, more than four months into the pandemic in the U.S., we have a much better…

A proposed committee substitute before the Senate Health Committee would protect direct primary care (DPC) providers from having to comply with state health insurance regulations. DPC providers are primary care doctors who do not accept insurance for payment. Instead, they charge each patient a monthly membership for around the…