The WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI) Podcast

WNC Health Policy Brief: NC's Budget, Healthcare Affordability, and SNAP (7-6-26)

This week, on the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we discuss: * some of the biggest health implications after North Carolina's long-awaited state budget finally became law after more than a year without a full budget * Governor Josh Stein's Executive Order No. 39 creating the bipartisan Health Care Affordability Commission to address rising medical costs & * a recent federal court ruling on state efforts to restrict SNAP purchases of certain foods.

Episode 27: Sustaining our Mental Healthcare Workforce

In this episode, we begin to explore the mental health and substance use landscape of Western North Carolina through the experience of clinician Lissa Carter, who has worked across recovery, community mental health, education, and clinical leadership roles in Buncombe County. We learn about her experiences with our workforce shortages and insurance barriers, and care fragmentation, alongside regional strengths like harm reduction initiatives and training pipelines. It sets up a broader discussion on how policy shapes access, retention, and outcomes in mental health care.

WNC Health Policy Brief: Gallup on Healthcare Cost, AI Pilot in Medicare, Gov Veto Override, RHT & Settlement (6-29-26)

* According to the 2026 West Health-Gallup Affordability Index, Americans’ ability to afford healthcare has fallen to its lowest level since tracking began in 2021. Fewer than half of U.S. adults (49%) are considered “Cost Secure,” meaning they cannot consistently afford needed healthcare services and prescription medications. * Although CMS Medicare Pilot, WISeR, whose stated intention was to reduce fraud and unnecessary care, critics say it is causing treatment delays, added administrative burden, and inappropriate denials for Medicare patients. * According the chief medical examiner in NC, counties' with the highest average fentanyl death rates include Buncombe County at number 5 (22.9) and Burke County at number 8 (21.5) vs the state average of 12.5. * On June 24th, the General Assembly overrode the Governor's vetos of NC Senate Bills 227 and 558 (impacting targeted health initiatives) and 153 (impacting communities' ability to access care) * Federal health grants delayed (including 988 services, disease surveillance, and opioid treatment grants) while undergoing a review screening for language found to be unacceptable. * The NC Senate approved House Bill 437, which would prohibit local governments from allowing homeless encampments on public property, create stricter drug penalties near homeless service providers, and allow legal action against local governments that fail to enforce the ban; the measure now awaits further action after Senate passage. * June 24th featured a ROOTS Hub webinar by the NCDHHS where region leads introduced themselves (Impact Health for WNC) and introduced a new partnership with NCDIT for a health information exchange . * Elevance Health, which covers about 2 million people on Medicare, paid the government more than $342 million to address allegations that it overcharged the federal healthcare program for years.

WNC Health Policy Brief: Transportation, Hospital Beds, State Pay, Fear & Mental Health (6/22/26)

coming soon

Episode 26: Produce Prescriptions

In this episode, we learn about the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP)'s Produce Prescription Program [https://asapconnections.org/resources/farm-fresh-for-health/prescription/] and how it overlaps as a public health strategy to improve nutrition, increase access to healthy food, and support long-term health outcomes. By connecting healthcare providers with local farmers and markets, the program helps participants access fresh fruits and vegetables while strengthening Western North Carolina's agricultural economy. The conversation also places Produce Prescription programs within the broader "Food Is Medicine" movement [https://tuftsfoodismedicine.org/about-us/], which a growing set of interventions that includes medically tailored meals and nutrition incentives like Double SNAP at Farmers' Markets, designed to address chronic disease through food.  The Produce Prescription Program recently received $400,000 in renewed funding from Blue Cross NC [https://wlos.com/news/local/asheville-blue-cross-shield-appalachian-sustainable-agriculture-project-farm-fresh-produce-prescription-program-food-mountain-area-health-education-center-farmers-markets-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-electronic-benefits-transfer-community]to continue and expand programming into the next year, pointing also to evidence of healthy food access as a long term cost-savings strategy for health insurance providers. Proposed House Bill 1154, 'Expand the FarmSHARE Food Hub Program' [https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H1154] also points to state policy that also covers the intersection between healthy food access and support for rural agricultural economies by seeking to allocate some funding to Double EBT at farmers markers.