North Carolina Health News

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On a personal 🎵, our social media person @yenergy is 🤰🏽 and can't imagine traveling 70 miles to give birth, like some have to do to get to @MissionHospital in #Asheville. More on what happens when #maternalhealth units close: northcarolinahealthnews.org/2… #NCGA #NCPol #NCHealth

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A graphic with money in the background. Medicaid transformation graphic, prepaid health plan, medicaid expansion

Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot

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Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot - North Carolina Health News

With claims of conflict of interest and bias, bypassed managed care groups have gone to court to ask for a second shot at getting N.C. Medicaid’s managed care contracts.

By Sarah Ovaska  While a move to switch Medicaid to a managed care system in North Carolina is on indefinite hold, several companies rejected by state health officials for lucrative managed care contracts are still vying for seats at the table. If N.C. Administrative Law Judge Tenisha Jacobs agrees with lawyers in her Raleigh courtroom […]

shows hemp flowers in a jar

Cannabis confusion pushes states to ban smokable hemp

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Cannabis confusion pushes states to ban smokable hemp - North Carolina Health News

Lawmakers came and left Raleigh this week to return in April, leaving many issues unresolved. One of the big questions is what to do about smokable hemp, which some law enforcement worry looks too much like marijuana.

By Sophie Quinton Stateline Hemp plants can be made into anything from rope and insulation to granola. But today, most U.S. hemp farmers are growing hemp to produce cannabinoids, such as CBD — which means they’re growing plants that look like marijuana, smell like marijuana and, increasingly, are rolled into joints and smoked like marijuana. […]

A little holiday toy in Christmas lights as an illustration of holiday toys.

Toys to avoid this holiday season

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Toys to avoid this holiday season - North Carolina Health News

Slime, magnetic toys and more on annual list of unsafe toys.

By Sarah Ovaska It’s the time of year when store shelves are groaning with toys and relatives wander through stores, trying to figure out just what would be just right for a 2-year-old niece, grandson or daughter. But not all the toys out there for sale are necessarily safe, with young children particularly at risk […]

Paper boats with different types of Middle Eastern Foods are lined up. This is an example of healthy food at the North Carolina State Fair

Want to eat healthy at the NC State Fair? Yes, it’s possible!

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Want to eat healthy at the NC State Fair? Yes, it’s possible! - North Carolina Health News

It’s state fair season and we’ve got you covered with healthy options to enjoy. This year’s roundup features everything from seafood to meat to vegan bites.

By Liora Engel-Smith and Rose Hoban When you think of the North Carolina State Fair, you’d invariably conjure images of deep-fried concoctions of all kinds, from the traditional french fries or beignets or donuts to newer creations (We’re looking at you, fried Oreo). But the annual 10-day extravaganza in Raleigh also has another side, and […]

Shows the computer home page for people to choose a Medicare plan

Medicare’s key means for selecting coverage has grown harder to use, advocates say

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Medicare’s key means for selecting coverage has grown harder to use, advocates say - North Carolina Health News

Controversy is roiling over the revised Medicare Plan Finder, an online tool for selecting optimal plans. Medicare says it’ll be fine after some tweaking, but some advocates say it has major problems.

By Thomas Goldsmith and Anne Blythe Advocates for older people contend that the online method many people and advisers use to select Medicare plans has gotten so difficult to navigate that beneficiaries will run into trouble trying to make their choices. Federal Medicare representatives maintain there’s real benefit to consumers in changes the agency has […]

photo shows UNC Hospital at night/ The hospital was recently the subject of a critical story in the NY Times that examined the pediatric heart surgery program.

Panel clears NC Children’s Hospital for complex heart surgeries, but suggests considering referrals

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Panel clears NC Children’s Hospital for complex heart surgeries, but suggests considering referrals - North Carolina Health News

With Duke University so close, an external advisory panel encourages UNC to consider developing a distinctive niche in its competitive regional market.

By Anne Blythe Three cardiologists from outside the state have reviewed the North Carolina Children’s Hospital pediatric heart surgery program and concluded the program can resume complex pediatric heart surgeries there. The six-page advisory report released this week by UNC Health Care officials acknowledged that new leadership and investment in the program has helped resolve […]

A blonde woman participant in the NAMI group at a conference table

Family members of people with mental illness find support, skills

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Family members of people with mental illness find support, skills - North Carolina Health News

NAMI’s Family-to-Family class, offered regularly by volunteers across the U.S., teaches families how to deal with a family member with mental illness.

By Yen Duong Getting screamed at for something you didn’t do might ruin your day. But for people who have family members with mental illness, unanticipated outbursts can be just another part of everyday life that they have to cope with. “I realized that taking [the screaming] personally wasn’t ever going to make anything any […]

Lawmakers move forward on small business health plan bill

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Lawmakers move forward on small business health plan bill - North Carolina Health News

Association health plans would provide a way to get insurance with lower premiums to some workers, but lingering concerns over the plans remain.

UPDATE: On Aug 13, the Senate voted to approve SB 86. The bill was sent to Gov. Roy Cooper and awaits his signature. By Rose Hoban Realtors, small business owners and other employees in small businesses could have access to another option for health insurance if the state legislature has its way. In the coming […]

photo shows UNC Hospital at night/ The hospital was recently the subject of a critical story in the NY Times that examined the pediatric heart surgery program.

NC Children’s Hospital ‘in compliance,’ but complex pediatric heart surgeries still on hold

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NC Children’s Hospital ‘in compliance,’ but complex pediatric heart surgeries still on hold - North Carolina Health News

A state health department investigation into the UNC cardiology program found it in compliance now, several years after complaints and two months after NY Times investigative piece.

By Anne Blythe The North Carolina Children’s Hospital got a bit of good news last week from a state agency that sent a team of investigators on-site for 11 days of questioning and review of the pediatric heart surgery program. The state Department of Health and Human Services says the program currently is in compliance […]

a woman in rubber boots collects water from a muddy river. She's wearing a sweater, winter clothes

PFAS shows up in Haw River, Pittsboro water, but gets limited local attention

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PFAS shows up in Haw River, Pittsboro water, but gets limited local attention - North Carolina Health News

Research shows that the level of PFAS in Pittsboro’s drinking water is 30 times higher than it is in Durham. A new study by Duke University aims to determine whether Pittsboro residents are being harmed.

This story has been updated with additional information provided by the NC Dept. of Environmental Quality. By Greg Barnes On a windblown day in March, Emily Sutton wore rubber wading boots as she stood on the muddy banks of the Haw River and dipped a plastic sample bottle into the chilly, rushing water. Sutton, the […]

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