Health Care

As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the nation, hospitals in every state are dealing with the stressful demand to combat the virus, but with limited resources. North Carolina hospitals, along with others around the country, are asking for donations of medical supplies, especially personal protective equipment, or PPE, for health care providers.   Health care…

Due to Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the General Assembly’s proposed state budget, North Carolina avoided more than $42 million in cuts that would have left numerous agencies vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak. A dramatically shrunken budget and staff cuts prompted by the state budget, would have strained the state’s Health and Human Services, the…

Last week, Congress approved an $8.3 billion emergency spending package in an effort to combat the coronavirus. Almost $13 million has been set aside for emergency aid for North Carolina as local health officials prepare for the outbreak.  Across the country, some states are setting aside funds to waive fees for patients who lack healthcare…

Last week, two cases of the coronavirus were confirmed by North Carolina state officials. The two cases, which are unrelated, are the first cases for the state as COVID-19 continues to spread across the country. Gov. Roy Cooper announced last week that the N.C. State Laboratory of Public Health can test for the virus. Cooper…

A recent state-by-state report by The Kaiser Family foundation, found that North Carolina, the 10th largest state in the nation, is fairing worse than the national average in health care.  With 33.5 percent of North Carolina residents below 200% of the Federal Poverty level in 2018, Medicaid is much-needed for those without financial accessibility.  In…

According to a new report from the Chartis Center for Rural Health, 19 rural hospitals closed across America in 2019. Almost one out of every four open rural hospitals are at risk of closing in the near future. States like North Carolina, that have chosen not to expand Medicaid have experienced the most rural hospital…

On Saturday, hundreds of mental health advocates raised questions about the priorities and concerns of the mental health community in North Carolina.  The 42nd annual Mental Health Legislative Breakfast at UNC Chapel Hill, brought over 400 health providers, advocates and consumers into a discussion to make state lawmakers aware of the need for improved and…

According to the Center for Health Services Research at UNC Chapel Hill, over one hundred rural hospitals have closed across the United States since 2010. In a recent report by iVantage Health Analytics, almost 600 rural hospitals are at risk of closing.  In these studies, both closures and at-risk hospitals are in the 14 states that have not passed…