News
Gamifying good health. That's the goal of this insurance company
2+ hour, 15+ min ago (38+ words) You've heard of lower car insurance rates for good drivers. Now, one of the nation's oldest insurance company wants to incentivize good health and longevity with lower rates and bonuses for people who adopt and maintain healthy habits....
North Carolina effort wipes out $6. 5 B in medical debt for 2. 5 M people
7+ mon, 1+ week ago (397+ words) More than 2. 5 million North Carolina residents are getting over $6. 5 billion in medical debt eliminated through a state government effort that offered hospitals extra Medicaid funds from Washington if they gave low- and middle-income patients the financial relief and implemented policies…...
To control costs, State Health Plan leaders look to invest in members" health
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (1315+ words) North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner has made waves during his first year in office among state employees, who will see a sharp uptick in their health insurance premiums starting next month. Briner says the increase is necessary to address a…...
NC state workers could pay less for healthcare " if they visit a 'preferred provider"
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (511+ words) State employees could see lower costs for healthcare services next year under a new "preferred provider" program approved by the State Health Plan board Tuesday " if they're willing to choose a specific provider that might come with a longer drive....
As deadline looms, DHHS includes 'every single thing and the kitchen sink' in Medicaid funding ask
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (859+ words) State health department officials again told lawmakers Tuesday that North Carolina's Medicaid program is poised to run out of money before the end of the fiscal year, imperiling coverage for more than two million people. "There will come a point…...
Are you on a high-deductible health plan? What do you wish you knew?
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (114+ words) WUNC News Are you on a high-deductible health plan? What do you wish you knew? The sudden spike in costs for people who buy their health care on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces led many people to choose high-deductible plans,…...
Medicare Advantage insurers face new curbs on overcharges in Trump plan
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (939+ words) Medicare Advantage health plans are blasting a government proposal this week that would keep their reimbursement rates flat next year while making other payment changes. But some health policy experts say the plan could help reduce billions of dollars in…...
How North Carolina erased medical debt for 2. 5 million people
4+ mon, 3+ day ago (675+ words) After a routine trip to her mailbox, Dawn Daly-Mack almost threw away an important letter that she thought was junk mail. "I opened it up and it said, 'Your medical bill has been paid,'" says Daly-Mack, 60, who lives in Gaston,…...
NC's Affordable Care Act navigators try to help clients find insurance despite funding cuts
4+ mon, 1+ week ago (1281+ words) Baker-Hill had stopped carrying insurance as she battled with other rising costs, including housing, food and transportation. But with her kidney condition worsening and high blood pressure, Baker-Hill realized that having insurance would be cheaper then foregoing it. This year,…...
It took just five years for the State Health Plan's billion-dollar surplus to become a deficit. What happened?
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (1671+ words) When new state treasurer Brad Briner walked into his new office at the beginning of 2025, he had a problem. After almost a decade of no premium increases for 750, 000 state employees and their dependents, outgoing treasurer Dale Folwell had left the…...