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wunc.org

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Plans are disappearing, drug costs are rising. What NC Medicare enrollees need to know this year

Thousands of North Carolinians face Medicare coverage changes as insurers discontinue plans or adjust their service areas for 2027. Monthly premiums don’t tell the whole story. Changes to deductibles, prescription drug costs and provider networks could affect what beneficiaries pay. Medicare open enrollment ends Dec. 7. Advocates encourage beneficiaries...

North Carolina · 8d
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hoodline.com

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Atrium Health Tops Out $130M Concord Tower, Adding 90 Beds by 2028

Atrium Health has topped out a $130 million expansion at its Cabarrus County hospital in Concord, adding three new stories and 90,000 square feet that will bring 90 additional inpatient beds, including space for intensive care patients, when the project opens in early 2028. The expansion is being added to...

Concord, NC · 9d
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wnctimes.com

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Flu-Like, COVID-Like ER Visits Tick Up in Western North Carolina

Raleigh -- November 3, 2026: State health officials report modest increases in the Asheville region while broader respiratory activity remains low st... Raleigh -- November 3, 2026: State health officials report modest increases in the Asheville region while broader respiratory activity remains low statewide. Emergency department visits for flu-like and...

North Carolina · 10d
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lakenormanpublications.com

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Shepherding in good health for those in need

DENVER – A group of individuals known as the Good Shepherd HealthCare Alliance started “stargazing.”. It all started with Dr. Peter Alford, a physician with the Catawba Valley Health System who practices a combination of pulmonary and sleep medicine, looking for a service project for children as part of a multi-church celebration of MLK Day last January.

Lincoln County, NC · 9d
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North Carolina Health News

publisher · 2.3K followers

Plans are disappearing, drug costs are rising. What NC Medicare enrollees need to know this year

Thousands of North Carolinians face Medicare coverage changes as insurers discontinue plans or adjust their service areas for 2027. Monthly premiums don’t tell the whole story. Changes to deductibles, prescription drug costs and provider networks could affect what beneficiaries pay. Medicare open enrollment ends Dec. 7. Advocates encourage beneficiaries...

North Carolina · 8d

The Money Overview

partner publisher · 75.3K followers

Some Medicare Advantage members in Florida, Oregon, North Carolina and Maine may lose Sarasota Memorial, OHSU, CarolinaEast or InterMed on Jan. 1 unless they switch by Dec. 7

Medicare Advantage members who use Sarasota Memorial in Florida, OHSU in Oregon, CarolinaEast Medical Center in North Carolina or InterMed in Maine face a network change on Jan. 1, 2027, and Medicare’s fall enrollment window closes Dec. 7. The four breaks involve three different insurers, so the name of a member’s plan, not the name […] The post Some Medicare Advantage members in Florida, Oregon, North Carolina and Maine may lose Sarasota Memorial, OHSU, CarolinaEast or InterMed on Jan. 1 unless they switch by Dec. 7 appeared first on The Money Overview .

North Carolina · 11d

North Carolina Health News

publisher · 2.3K followers

As mental health needs grow in NC prisons, state leaders look to improve care after release

About 4,700 people with mental health diagnoses leave North Carolina state prisons each year. Limited staffing and other barriers can make it difficult to coordinate treatment and support as they transition back into their communities. A new committee is developing recommendations to improve services and support for people with mental...

North Carolina · 11d

thewashingtondailynews.com

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State launches Rural Health Transformation Program Dashboard

The NC Department of Health and Human Services today launched a new dashboard sharing all projects that were awarded Rural Health Transformation Program funds in Year 1, along with the counties served, the amounts committed, and brief descriptions of the work. The announcement comes after the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded an initial $100 million to North Carolina for Year 2 Rural Health Transformation Program funding, with additional funding to follow. The program aims to improve health care in rural communities, help people get better care, and maintain rural health services.

North Carolina · 10d

ABC11 Eyewitness News

partner publisher · 141.7K followers

North Carolina early voting tops 2 million as voters cite economy, health care concerns

More than 2 million North Carolinians cast ballots during early voting ahead of Election Day.

North Carolina · 13d

Main Street Dollars

partner publisher · 39.2K followers

North Carolina state retirees face a Nov. 6 State Health Plan enrollment cutoff

North Carolina’s State Health Plan will close open enrollment for 2027 coverage on Nov. 6, 2026. Retirees on the plan have until that date to review their choices and make changes, after the state pushed the deadline back from Oct. 30. The plan covers about 750,000 members and has warned that it could run out […]

North Carolina · 11d

carolinajournal.com

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10,500 noncitizens lost Medicaid coverage in NC under new rules

North Carolina’s public health commission held an Oct. 28 joint meeting with physicians virtually to discuss federal Medicaid changes, including coverage restrictions affecting noncitizens, anticipated funding reductions, and investments in rural healthcare. State Health Director Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt said approximately 10,500 people had lost Medicaid coverage following changes to...

North Carolina · 11d

wnymedia.net

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Charlotte man pleads guilty to making false claims for COVID relief

NY Governor Kathy Hochul to give speech following election win →Live coverage of the 2026 Election →Live coverage of the 2026 Election →Latino Voters Swing Away from Trump for “Terrorizing Our Communities”: Marisa Franco of Mijente →Democratic Socialists on the Rise: Darializa Avila Chevalier & Claire Valdez Set to Win House Seats →Election Protection: NAACP on Voter Suppression & Deployment of Federal Poll Monitors →

Charlotte, NC · 11d

ednc.org

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CMS student adviser finalists discuss mental health, campus safety, AI, and more

Nine high school student finalists running to become the 2027 student adviser to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education gathered at the Charlotte Government Center on Wednesday, Oct. 21 for the annual student advisor forum. Created through a partnership between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and GenerationNation, a nonprofit organization that promotes civic...

Charlotte, NC · 10d

wunc.org

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New report highlights the challenges of growing North Carolina's health workforce

North Carolina's healthcare workforce is not keeping pace with the state's rapid population growth, according to a new report. The NC Center on the Workforce for Health says North Carolina needs to train more nurses, nursing assistance, and emergency medical technicians while retaining people who already work in those professions.

North Carolina · 11d

The Ledger News

partner publisher · 4.5K followers

State launches Rural Health Transformation Program dashboard

The NC Department of Health and Human Services this week launched a dashboard sharing all projects that were awarded Rural Health Transformation Program funds in Year 1, along with the counties served, the amounts committed, and brief descriptions of the work.

North Carolina · 10d

WBTV

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Estrogen patch prescriptions hard to fill for Charlotte-area women

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Women in the Charlotte area and across the country are facing mounting obstacles filling prescriptions for estrogen patches used in hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. Nicole Bentivegna, a certified nurse practitioner at Signature Wellness, said she is dealing with the exact same issue. “On my drive...

Charlotte, NC · 13d

WECT

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NC Attorney General wins federal lawsuit blocking Medicaid rule for seriously ill

RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) - A federal judge has struck down a Medicaid rule that threatened to strip health coverage from an estimated 64,000 seriously ill North Carolinians. Attorney General Jeff Jackson sued the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in June after a new rule made it harder for seriously ill patients to keep their Medicaid coverage. Under the new rule, cancer patients on chemotherapy would have had to prove they were seriously ill and unable to work 80 hours a month.

North Carolina · 15d

McKnight's

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New respiratory virus, return-to-work guidance could ease nursing home challenges this winter

With the 2026 respiratory virus season arriving, nursing home providers are being encouraged to strengthen outbreak preparation, identify infections earlier and adapt staffing and control policies that minimize disruptions. Recently updated Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidance reflects the challenge that operators face when protecting vulnerable residents from seasonal...

North Carolina · 15d

Smoky Mountain News

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COVID cases rise in Western North Carolina

Officials are reminding people that even though the coronavirus isn’t leading to as much severe illness, they should take precautions to mitigate its spread. Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben told The Smoky Mountain News that cases are on the rise throughout the region. This breaks from the typical trend seen in previous years where the largest spike occurs during late winter with a smaller spike occurring during the summer. Jaben said that this year brought a smaller summer wave than normal, adding that the rise in cases seen now may be a continuation of that surge or an earlier iteration of the winter surge.

Haywood County, NC · 16d