Wake County Commissioners voted 5-2 Monday night to clear the way for WakeMed to merge with Atrium Health, capping nearly five months of public opposition and last-minute deal changes. Commissioners Vickie Adamson and Tara Waters cast the two “no” votes, citing a rushed process and unresolved questions about what the county was actually signing.

SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins and SEANC President Wendell Powell joined Patients Union and the NC Justice Center at a rally before the vote.

During the meeting, Watkins told commissioners that, “Wake County is the heart of state government. Your constituents, in all likelihood, a lot of them are state employees or retirees.”

“They are losing their minds over the thought of it because they can’t take any more coming out of their paycheck,” said Watkins.

On Sunday, Gov. Josh Stein announced he would not stand in the way of the deal — a step short of an endorsement — after Atrium agreed to several concessions Stein had requested.

The merger still needs sign-off from the Attorney General’s office and the Federal Trade Commission, which reviews it under federal antitrust law. State Treasurer Brad Briner, who oversees the State Health Plan, remains sharply critical, calling the price-cap concession “minor” and urging both regulators to dig into what the deal means for costs and competition.

On this week’s episode of The SEANC View Podcast, we discuss how Stein’s late statement affected the vote, as well as the rally and the bravery of Adamson and Waters. We also talk about the next steps.