News
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WakeMed/Atrium vote could come next week
Wake County Commissioners could vote on their portion of the proposed WakeMed-Atrium merger as soon as Tuesday, Sept.…
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Gov. Stein calls for ‘close scrutiny’ on WakeMed-Atrium merger
This week’s on The SEANC View Podcast, we continue to dig into the proposed merger of WakeMed and Atrium Health. Gov. Josh Stein’s office sent WakeMed a pointed letter this month saying the deal “deserves close scrutiny and careful consideration.” We’re glad to see the Governor weigh in — but for members who’ve been sounding […]
READ MOREBig changes coming to the state’s HR law. Here’s what it means for you.
For the first time since the 1960s, North Carolina has rewritten the law governing how state government hires, pays, and manages its workforce. SEANC worked hard to make sure it came out favorable to employees. Gov. Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 1041, the Public Workforce Modernization Act, into law on July 6, creating a new […]
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WakeMed-Atrium merger will cost you money. Make your voices heard!
Three months ago, SEANC members and community leaders forced Wake County commissioners to pump the brakes on the proposed Atrium Health takeover of WakeMed. What happened in the months since? Atrium and WakeMed executives briefed small groups of commissioners in private — deliberately keeping the groups to three at a time to avoid North Carolina’s […]
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NC not the only health plan dealing with outrageous hospital costs
Our State Health Plan isn’t the only one dealing with the pressures of outrageous hospital costs. IDAHO chose to drop an East Idaho hospital, Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, from its network rather than accept the hospital owners’ terms for a reimbursement rate increase, which would have increased premiums for all 65,000 members by 7%. […]
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Pension system added $17 billion last year, so where are the COLAs?
North Carolina’s pension fund had a strong year. The fund earned an estimated $17 billion and returned 12.4% for the year ending June 30, State Treasurer Brad Briner’s investment team told trustees at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting. Public equities drove much of the gain, up nearly 22% for the year. The fund’s one-year […]
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State Health Plan leaders meet with Atrium, but no deal reached
With changes to the State Health Plan still making headlines, Plan leaders — including State Treasurer Brad Briner — met with Atrium Health leadership this week in Raleigh. Very little information was released about the meeting, only that both sides called it “constructive” and said they’re committed to finding a path forward for the Plan […]
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Hospitals continue to push back on State Health Plan tier structure
The fallout from the State Health Plan’s new hospital tier system continued this week, as Atrium Health and WakeMed both took to the airwaves to criticize State Treasurer Brad Briner and his staff over the tiered network structure set to take effect in January. State Health Plan Executive Administrator Thomas Friedman visited SEANC’s Board of […]
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Setting the Record Straight on changes to State Health Plan
Since last week’s Board of Trustees vote, WakeMed and Atrium Health have pushed back publicly, arguing that members will be “charged extra” for using their facilities. That framing needs context. WakeMed and Atrium aren’t being deemed “non-preferred” arbitrarily. They chose not to give state employees a reasonable price and apparently would rather lose business than […]
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