North Carolina Health News

After transforming and expanding the program, NC Medicaid director steps down Jay Ludlam is stepping down as director of NC’s Medicaid program after overseeing the state’s long-awaited expansion, which has added coverage for more than 710,000 residents since December 2023. He leaves as the state faces new federal work requirements and billions in potential funding losses that could threaten recent gains, particularly in rural communities. Read the full story: 🔗 https://buff.ly/oaJPSJp

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NC lawmakers wrestle with broken mental health system, ask public for input North Carolina lawmakers are trying to fix a mental health system that keeps sending people with severe illnesses through a cycle of ERs, jails and state psychiatric hospitals. They’ve spent months hearing from experts and officials who say the system is overloaded, and they’re now asking the public to weigh in before issuing recommendations this spring. A rushed law passed after a high‑profile stabbing is also under review, as hospitals and sheriffs disagree on where mental health evaluations for people arrested with behavioral health issues should happen. Read the full story: 🔗 https://buff.ly/sfAD3HU

After Hurricane Helene, many Western North Carolina renters are facing a new, hidden health threat: mold. In Asheville, residents describe blackened hallways, warped walls and persistent respiratory symptoms as heavier rains and hotter, more humid summers create ideal conditions for fungal growth. Scientists at Duke are now studying how climate change may be amplifying mold’s health impacts — especially for children, older adults and people with asthma. But mold remains largely untracked and loosely regulated, leaving many tenants with few options. Read the full story from Grist: 🔗 https://buff.ly/qgOX58y

‘Something needs to change’: Report details isolation at NC juvenile detention centers A yearlong review by Disability Rights North Carolina found that teens in some of the state’s juvenile detention centers spend more than 22 hours a day confined to their cells, despite policies limiting isolation. Youth described declining mental health and suicidal thoughts linked to prolonged isolation, while state juvenile justice officials disputed claims that solitary confinement is routinely practiced. Full story here: 🔗 https://buff.ly/s2dQo3O

PBM reforms promise relief for NC’s independent pharmacies Independent pharmacies across North Carolina say pharmacy benefit managers PBMs — the middlemen negotiating drug prices for insurers — have squeezed reimbursements and imposed opaque fees that threaten their survival. Recent federal reforms and a proposed transparency rule aim to curb practices critics say drive up costs and favor higher-priced drugs, while giving employers and regulators greater insight into PBM compensation. North Carolina lawmakers have also stepped in with new guardrails designed to protect independent pharmacies, stabilize access and ensure that savings in the drug supply chain reach patients. Read more: 🔗 https://buff.ly/CvcrizF

More than 70,000 mothers in 21 states were referred to law enforcement over alleged substance use during pregnancy — often based on flawed or misinterpreted drug tests. A new investigation by The Marshall Project found many referrals began with false positives, including results triggered by prescribed medications or legal CBD products. In more than half of reviewed cases, child welfare agencies ultimately found no abuse or neglect — yet police investigations sometimes continued. The reporting raises urgent questions about privacy, due process and the growing criminalization of pregnancy. Read the full investigation: https://buff.ly/tgOm6s7

ACA enrollment dropped sharply in North Carolina for 2026 — and more coverage losses may be ahead, per NC Local Only 761,457 North Carolinians enrolled in ACA coverage for 2026 — a 22% drop from last year, the largest decline in the country. More than 200,000 lost affordable coverage after enhanced subsidies expired, premiums rose, and navigator funding was slashed. Advocates warn more residents could lose coverage if costs remain high. Who is most affected? What options exist for those who lost coverage? And what happens next? Read the full breakdown here: https://buff.ly/tDB0E3O

Dentists, oral health advocates urge EPA to use ‘gold standard science’ in its fluoride review The EPA is accepting public comments on its preliminary assessment plan for review of fluoride in drinking water. Full story at the link:: 🔗 https://buff.ly/OO0hZ2q

Former EPA Administrator Michael Regan says moving forward after hard-fought environmental justice gains fall before shifting federal priorities will require relying on science and exchanging ideas. 🔗 Full story at our website.