News
Stay informed with the newest announcements, stories, and member highlights.
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…
READ MOREStatement from SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins on the Budget Agreement
How Many State Jobs Are Being Cut to Pay for This Budget? The following is a statement from SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins on the Budget Agreement: “The budget agreement announced today raises a question lawmakers refused to answer: how many state jobs are being eliminated to pay for it? We know legislators want to […]
READ MORESEANC Fights Back on Atrium/WakeMed Merger
When Atrium Health announced plans to absorb WakeMed on a Friday evening and pushed for a Wake County Board of Commissioners vote the following Monday, SEANC had less than 72 hours to respond. And we did. Executive Director Ardis Watkins sent a formal letter to the Wake County Board of Commissioners calling for a no vote, […]
READ MORE
SEANC Calls on Wake Commissioners to Vote No on Atrium-WakeMed merger
UPDATE: SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins has sent a formal letter to the Wake County Board of Commissioners urging them to vote no, or at a minimum, to postpone the vote until the Board has held public listening sessions where employees, patients, and State Health Plan stakeholders can be heard on the record. You can read […]
READ MOREWith no budget in sight, SEANC members head to the Capitol for Lobby Day
The General Assembly returned to Raleigh this week for the first full week of the Short Session, and legislators made no announcement of a budget. For state employees and retirees still waiting on raises and cost-of-living adjustments that did not come last year, the clock is ticking. House Bill 1054 was filed this week, including […]
READ MOREHouse Speaker Destin Hall Discusses Budget, Raises
Lawmakers returned to Raleigh this week for the 2026 Short Session, and for state employees and retirees, the big question remains: when will there be a new state budget, and what does it mean for pay raises and retiree cost-of-living adjustments? On opening day, SEANC sat down with House Speaker Destin Hall for a wide-ranging […]
READ MOREThe Short Session Starts Tuesday with Pay Raises, Jobs on the Line
Legislators return to Raleigh next week for the start of the General Assembly’s short session. For state employees and retirees, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The legislature’s failure to pass a state budget last session had real consequences. State employees and retirees went without raises. Health care premiums went up anyway. And the gap between […]
READ MORE
Report puts vacant jobs on the chopping block. SEANC is fighting back.
State Auditor Dave Boliek’s January report found thousands of vacant state jobs and over $1 billion in unspent salary funds. In the upcoming short session, some legislators will likely use those numbers to justify eliminating positions. SEANC is pushing back on those claims. The most common reason agencies gave for those vacancies? Low pay. And many […]
READ MORE
SEANC hosting town halls to help members navigate free surgery program
The State Health Plan has launched a new partnership to offer some surgeries to members free of charge. Launched on October 20, the Lantern program provides active state employees and non-Medicare retiree plan members with access to free elective surgeries (orthopedics and bariatrics) from providers across the state, including travel and lodging coverage when necessary. You […]
READ MORE