This week is shaping up to be a scorcher as a record–breaking “heat dome” settles over the East Coast and midwestern United States. The National Weather Service office in Raleigh has issued a hazardous weather outlook starting Tuesday and extending through the weekend, warning “High temperatures will be in the low to mid 90s Friday […]
Posted inMedicaid
NC Medicaid is rolling out ‘tailored’ plans for complex beneficiaries. Your questions answered.
By Jaymie Baxley Medicaid is about to change for tens of thousands of North Carolinians who have complex health care needs. For most of the state’s 2 million-plus Medicaid beneficiaries, nothing will happen. The state plans to move about 160,000 enrollees, many of them people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, onto specialized Medicaid plans beginning […]
Posted inPublic Health
Pedestrian and bicyclist deaths are up in North Carolina, and public health advocates are calling for change
By Vibhav Nandagiri Steven Hardy-Braz rode more than 11,000 miles in the first 11 months of 2021. An avid road cyclist from Farmville, he took every precaution — reflective clothing, bright lights, mirrors. He also had a camera mounted on the back of his bike. On Nov. 21 of that year, as Hardy-Braz biked down […]
Posted inPublic Health
Bird flu tests are hard to get. So how will we know when to sound the pandemic alarm?
By Amy Maxmen and Arthur Allen KFF Health News Stanford University infectious disease doctor Abraar Karan has seen a lot of patients with runny noses, fevers, and irritated eyes lately. Such symptoms could signal allergies, covid, or a cold. This year, there’s another suspect, bird flu — but there’s no way for most doctors to know. If the […]
Posted inState Health Policy
N.C. Senate passes bill keeping autopsies public record, but advocates stay vigilant
By Grace Vitaglione State lawmakers dropped language from a bill that would have shielded autopsies from public review, but the Senate’s thumbs-up on the revised measure June 12 may not be the end of the issue. The previous language could return in a future session, state Sen. Danny Britt Jr. (R-Lumberton) said at a Senate […]
Posted inEnvironmental Health
Teeing off for sustainability: Pinehurst showcases eco-friendly golf design
By Will Atwater Because the world’s top male golfers are teeing off this week on Pinehurst’s renowned No. 2 course for the U.S. Open Golf Championship, more than precision driving and putting are on display. The four-day event is being played on a course that has evolved into a more environmentally friendly facility. “When I […]