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50 Year ROE v. WADE ANNIVERSARY and 2023 General Assembly EDITION | |
From the Council Office of Steve Rao
January 23, 2023
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Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes. | |
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AFC/NFC Championships Set:
AFC/NFC Championships Set: Chiefs will face off against Bengals/Eagles Face 49ers!
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Attorney General Josh Stein announces his run for Governor.
Wishing my long time friend all the best in his quest to become the 76th Governor of North Carolina!
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Breaking News and Important Updates: | |
NC General Assembly kicks off Long Legislative Session on Wednesday.
(See NC General Assembly Section)
Provide us Budget Feedback by Jan 26th
Provide us Budget Feedback before we go into Retreat at Budget Portal Preliminary Poll (qualtrics.com) by Jan 26th ay 5 pm. Retreat is Jan 27- Jan 29th.
Town of Morrisville Advisory Committees Deadline is Feb 1.
www.townofmorrisville.org.
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Happy Chinese New Year! The Year of the Rabbit! | |
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Wishing our Asian American Community a Happy Lunar New Year!
2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, however in Vietnamese culture, it's the Year of the Cat. Billions around the world will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Jan. 22, 2023 and around that date. The holiday marks a new lunar calendar and the coming of spring.
On a personal note, we thank all Asian Americans for their remarkable contributions to the Triangle Region and state of North Carolina.
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Jan 27- Jan 29th TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT
Our Council will be headed to Wilmington for retreat Jan 27th – Jan 29th. Before I head out to retreat, if you could, please send me any feedback on issues and areas you would like us to address as we kick off the 2023 Budget Process.
In addition, please share your insights at the Budget Connection Portal at Budget Portal Preliminary Poll (qualtrics.com) by Jan 26th by 5 pm.
We look forward to a wonderful retreat and another exciting and productive year in our All America City!
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North Carolina Transportation Summit
Last week, I was honored to attend the Transportation Summit. In my next newsletter, I will be sharing more about my takeaways from the conference, and some insights on the future of NC Transportation, in light of the funding challenges of the Department in light of declining revenues over the past few years.
One major takeaway for me was the time I spent at the NC DOT Business Development Office for Underutilized and Disadvantaged businesses, where the DOT provides more opportunities for these smaller companies to partner with the larger contractors. I do plan on bringing them to Morrisville to brief our minority business community on these efforts.
I also enjoyed spending some time with Secretary Boyette and DOT Chair Mike Fox and I am coordinating a Town Hall meeting sometime this Spring with them for a Transportation Update!
All Presentations can be found at https://www.youtube.com/ncdotcommunications.
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Marching in a Post Roe ERA | |
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Today marks the first Roe v Wade anniversary since the Supreme Court overturned a landmark case which had been in place for over a half century. This case has already had a profound impact on Womens’ reproductive rights, access to abortions in many states, which have either placed significant restrictions on abortions or have made them illegal, which requires women to cross state lines, which can be expensive and unduly burdensome during an economic recession and at a time when health care costs continue to rise.
North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore has indicated that plans for changes to North Carolina abortion laws this session, and is well positioned to do so with Republican Supermajorities in the Senate and only one vote short in the House from a Supermajority.
Finally, there may be some hope for Abortion Rights activists as the FDA has approved abortion pills and the United States Post Office will also allow these pills to be delivered to the home. In addition, state ballot measures in California, Michigan, Vermont, Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana last year also codified abortion rights or rejected measures that would have eroded abortion access.
At the end of the day, the march for Women’s reproductive rights will continue, and as all marches to freedom, will be a Marathon, not a sprint.
There may be obstacles at every mile marker, but our fight for freedom and choice will continue.
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A Look Back at Roe v. Wade
On Jan. 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision ruled that the U.S. Constitution supports the right to have an abortion.
The case, Jane Roe v. Henry Wade, District Attorney of Dallas County, Texas, would come to be known as a landmark decision. The plaintiff’s name was a pseudonym Norma Leah Nelson McCorvey, who was a Dallas resident.
The high court ruled that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides a fundamental “right to privacy,” which protects a pregnant woman’s right to an abortion.
The ruling was bipartisan, although reproductive rights would divide the two parties in decades to come. Ruling in the majority were Chief Justice Warren Burger and Lewis Powell, President Richard Nixon appointees, who were joined by William Douglas, a President Franklin D. Roosevelt administration appointee, as well as William Brennan; Potter Stewart, who was born in Jackson, Mich.; and Harry Blackmun, who were President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointees, and Thurgood Marshall, who President Lydon B. Johnson appointed.
William Rehnquist, a Nixon appointee, and Byron White, a President John F. Kennedy appointee who played for the National Football League’s Detroit Lions in 1940 and 1941, voted in dissent.
President Joe Biden on Friday issued a proclamation on the 50th anniversary of Roe, writing, “I call upon Americans to honor generations of advocates who have fought for reproductive freedom, to recognize the countless women whose lives and futures have been saved and shaped by the Roe v. Wade decision, and to march forward with purpose as we work together to restore the right to choose.”
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2023 NC General Assembly Long Session
https://www.carolinajournal.com/what-to-expect-from-state-legislatures-2023-session/
Wednesday, the North Carolina General Assembly will hold opening ceremonies to kick off the 2023 legislative session. In odd-numbered years, legislators hold a “long session” starting in January. They then adjourn for a “short session” in even-numbered years.
This year, the state legislature plans to start conducting business two weeks after holding opening ceremonies. However, committees are likely to begin meeting in February. Committee assignments are expected to be announced later this week.
In the November elections, Republicans gained two additional seats in the state House and two more in the state Senate. Picking up two seats was enough to secure a supermajority in the Senate, but left Republicans one seat short in the state House.
“North Carolina voters returned a Republican supermajority to the state Senate, and we plan on honoring that endorsement of Republican governance,” said Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, about the agenda for the long session. “Bills that didn’t cross the finish line, whether stalled in the legislative process or vetoed by the governor, could certainly come up again. I know issues including voter ID, parental rights in schools, and tax cuts are on the minds of our members. I look forward to the work that lies ahead of us.”
In 2021 and 2022, Republicans did not have supermajorities in either chamber and struggled to overcome Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto on significant legislation.
This year, that could change.
Here are some of the most high-profile topics likely to be deliberated in North Carolina’s legislature this year:
MEDICAID EXPANSION
Pressure to expand Medicaid in North Carolina has grown as the state becomes one of 11 not to expand. For North Carolina, expansion could put more than 600,000 able-bodied, working-age adults onto the taxpayer-funded health care program. In recent years Republicans have held their ground against expansion, but Berger now says he sees an agreement on the horizon.
“I have told folks that I felt like by the time the two-year session is over, North Carolina will have expanded Medicaid,” Berger said. “There’s a deal in there somewhere.”
In the last legislative session, Berger led the Senate to pass a healthcare proposal that included Medicaid expansion under the federal entitlement program, the Affordable Care Act. House Bill 149 contained work requirements for Medicaid expansion enrollees and measures the senators say would cut regulations on the healthcare industry and expand the number of providers and facilities. However, the N.C. House did not pass the Senate’s proposal.
ABORTION LAW
The ball is in the General Assembly’s court regarding abortion legislation. States can now set their own abortion laws after the U.S. Supreme Court delivered the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision over the summer. Abortion is legal in North Carolina for the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Among restrictions on the procedure, state law requires a 72-hour waiting period, bans telemedicine for chemical abortions, and bans anyone but a licensed physician from performing an abortion.
In December, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and other allied abortion advocates dropped their challenges to five different North Carolina laws pertaining to abortions. In August, Berger told reporters that there was an interest among the lawmakers at that time to limit abortion after the first trimester, normally defined as the 12–13-week mark. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, has voiced his support for a “heartbeat bill,” which would make abortions illegal once ultrasounds detect a fetal heartbeat. Doctors can typically detect heartbeats at about the six-week mark. Berger and Moore have also stated their support for exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother’s life.
However, both leaders have stated that these positions are personal views, not their respective caucuses’.
REDISTRICTING AND VOTER ID
In December, just before the lame-duck 4-3 Democrat majority N.C. Supreme Court ended, the court issued a 4-3 party-line ruling that threw out the state’s photo voter identification law and the state Senate election map. Voter ID was passed by a majority of North Carolina voters in 2018 as a constitutional amendment, and the General Assembly enacted that voter mandate, but it was vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper. Lawmakers overrode Cooper’s veto, but Senate Bill 824 has been tangled in court ever since. Now that the voters elected a high court that is 5-2 Republican, a voter ID law could survive legal challenges.
The 2022 congressional district maps were drawn for one-time use after the N.C. Supreme Court allowed a three-judge panel to appoint “special masters” to redraw the maps passed by the General Assembly. Lawmakers are likely to redraw the congressional map this year and will now have to go back to the drawing board on the state Senate map as well. The state Supreme Court’s December ruling comes after Senate Republicans won a supermajority in the November 2022 election with maps approved by trial judges.
The N.C. Supreme Court did not rule against the House map. House Republicans came up just shy of a supermajority.
SPORTS BETTING
In the last legislative session, the House voted down a bill to make online sports gambling legal, but there will likely be another push to legalize online wagering in 2023.
Senate Bill 688, which would have legalized online sports betting, was a bipartisan bill that passed the Senate but did not clear the House. It failed by a vote of 49-52 on June 22 last year.
Several companies and legislators have advocated legalizing online sports gambling in North Carolina. With a new class of legislators taking office in 2023, proponents might have the votes to pass legislation similar to S.B. 688.
Additional issues getting lawmakers’ attention going into the next session are school choice, parental rights and learning loss in schools, and energy infrastructure.
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Suicide Prevention Line to 988 |
On Saturday, July 16, the U.S. will transition the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 988 – an easy-to-remember three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care.
The lifeline, which also links to the Veterans Crisis Line, follows a three-year joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to put crisis care more in reach for people in need.
Starting tomorrow, simply calling or texting 988 or chatting https://988Lifeline.org will connect you to compassionate care and support for mental health-related distress. #988Lifeline
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Join us on Radio Nyra on Sunday at 4 pm for our interview with HSS on Darsana Exhibit. 99.9HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Join us on Radio Nyra Sundays at 4pm for interesting interviews with local thought leaders
99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Great Interview on Radio Nyra with Hill Carrow on the 2029 FISU World University Games.
https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/596450559170578/?t=18
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Great US Open Roku TV Interview with Andy Andrews!
https://youtu.be/-Uy7aX-M2AI?t=79
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On the Porch with Randy Voller on WCHL 97.9 FM!
https://chapelboro.com/?s=on+the+porch
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WPTF Steve O'Bryan show on the Dream Act and DACA!
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Get with the Program with Gary Jones!
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Tune in on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm to PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum for our engaging discussions on trending topics!
Engaging Discussion on PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum on Affirmative Action, Election Security and other matters.
Link to the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIOR-ih-Fg
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Sen. Tillis’ immigration bill was a rare display of political courage | Opinion
Read my Op Ed in Raleigh News and Observer
https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article270762997.html
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This Week in Morrisville: January 23rd - 29th | |
Become a Town Advisory Committee Member
The Town is growing, and your opinion matters! Advisory Committees offer residents a chance to be involved in the Town’s decision-making processes by providing input on important matters to Town Council. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. Apply now on the Town website. Contact Town Clerk Eric Smith with any questions at (919) 463-6168 or esmith@townofmorrisville.org.
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Community Invited to Share Thoughts on 2023-24 Town Budget
Every year, the Town initializes budget development activities with efforts to gauge community needs, appropriate funding levels, and Town priorities. The Town will host various engagement opportunities throughout the budget process seeking input from the community, starting with the Budget Connection Portal, which is now open.
The Budget Connection Portal serves to provide the Town Council information about community concerns and priorities to help them with budget brainstorming activities during their annual retreat Jan. 27-29. Please take 10-15 minutes to complete this quick poll by 5 p.m. on Jan. 26.
Please contact the Budget and Strategic Management Department at BSM@townofmorrisville.org if you have any questions or need help with access. Other engagement opportunities will be posted following the retreat.
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Vendors Wanted for Town's Holi Celebration
Vendors and cultural performers are invited to be a part of the Town's Holi celebration, to be held March 18, from noon-3 p.m. at the Cedar Fork Community Center, 1050B Town Hall Drive. Food and artisan vendors are invited to apply, as well as cultural performers.
Click here to apply as a vendor. Contact Jashi Abhirajan at jabhirajan@gmail.com to apply as a cultural performer.
For questions about the Holi celebration, contact Leslie Haney, cultural resources specialist, at lhaney@townofmorrisville.org.
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Morrisville Senior Center Offering Free Blood Pressure Clinic on January 27
The Morrisville Senior Center (MSC), 4117 Davis Drive, hosts a free blood pressure clinic on the fourth Friday of every month. The next clinic will be on Jan. 27, from noon-1 p.m. In addition to having your blood pressure taken, you can ask questions about medications and get strategies for managing blood pressure. Sign up here.
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Some Greenway Bridges to be Closed for Repairs in January
The Town of Morrisville has contracted with Span Builders to complete maintenance and repairs to pedestrian bridges located on Town greenways. This work will continue through January and may require temporary closures of bridges for short periods of time. The contractor will work with greenway users to ensure safe passage through work zones. For any questions, please contact Public Works at (919) 463-7070.
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Art and Photo Contest Winners Announced
The winners for the Student Art Poster Contest and the Stormwater Photo Contest have been announced. The grand prize winner of “Bees, Seeds, and Butterflies,” hosted by the Morrisville Environment and Stormwater Committee, is Bryce Cao. Check out all the winning entries here. The winner of the “We Are All Upstream” photo contest is Nisarg Mounachar of Panther Creek High School.
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Trees Planted at Cedar Fork District Park
The Public Works Department recently planted 20 new large trees throughout Cedar Fork District Park. A variety of native trees were chosen to continue the Town’s efforts to create more native landscape installations and spread awareness about the benefits to the public. The tree installation was one of many projects meant to provide a more robust and beautiful park for all users.
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Have You Joined Engage Morrisville?
Engage Morrisville is a place for residents and businesses to get involved by sharing ideas and feedback with Town staff on various projects and topics affecting the Morrisville community. Current topics of conversation include the Town Center Project, What's Happening Around Town, and the Morrisville Smart Shuttle. Register and join the conversation today.
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MAFC Hosting Teen Glow Swim Party on January 28
The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC), 1301 Morrisville Parkway, is inviting all youth ages 12-18 to join its Teen Glow Swim Party on Jan. 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Participants can enjoy pizza and swimming under glow lights. The event is for youth only. Parents should drop off participants and pick them up at the end. A MAFC membership or single-visit pass is required for entry. Space is limited. Sign up here.
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Indoor Spring Triathlon to be Held at MAFC on February 5
Next Level Physio will host an Indoor Sprint Triathlon at the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC), 1301 Morrisville Parkway, on Sunday, Feb. 5, from 7-11 a.m. Each leg of swimming, biking, and running will last only 10 minutes, and participants will be asked to go as far as they can in that time. Participants will receive T-shirts, snacks, and random prizes. Registration is now open for ages 12 and up here.
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Pool at the MAFC to be Closed February 6-24
The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center (MAFC), 1301 Morrisville Parkway, will close its pool for needed repairs from Feb. 6-24. New non-impact exercise classes will be available during this time.
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Now Hiring: Join the MAFC Team
The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center is currently recruiting for a Senior Aquatics Specialist (FT), part-time lifeguards who can work during the day in the off season, experienced swim instructors, and desk staff who can work in the day and early evening. Learn more and apply here.
Check out additional employment opportunities in the Town here.
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Now Hiring: Join the Public Works Team
The Town of Morrisville Public Works Department has exciting career opportunities available now. Join one of only three North Carolina municipalities with an American Public Works Association (APWA) accredited Public Works Department. For more information, click on the following links:
Streets Maintenance Tech I
Athletics Tech I
Streets Maintenance Supervisor
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Check out additional employment opportunities in the Town here.
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Open House to Provide Information on Proposed Commuter Rail on February 6
GoTriangle, the region’s transit authority, released a report early in January with the results of the Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Feasibility study and information about options for a future commuter rail service in the area. The proposed Greater Triangle Commuter Rail would help provide a congestion-free transportation opportunity and serve a region slated to grow by more than a million people in the next 30 years.
GoTriangle will host an open house on Monday, Feb. 6, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., to provide information about the study and the proposed commuter rail plan, which includes passenger service at 15 stations along approximately 43 miles of existing North Carolina Railroad corridor between West Durham and Clayton. The open house will be in Town Council Chambers at Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Drive.
A short presentation will be given at 6 p.m., and then repeated at 7 p.m. The remainder of the time will be available to ask questions about the study and the proposed plan. Participants will also be able to fill out a survey to provide their feedback about the plan.
Visit readyforrailnc.com/feasibility to read the report or to complete a feedback survey. The comment period will be open until Feb. 19.
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Morrisville Smart Shuttle Service is Now Operating! |
The Morrisville Smart Shuttle, the Town’s newest public transit service, allows riders to request a pick-up or drop-off from one of 15 nodes, or stops, located around the Town using the Smart Shuttle application on their smartphone.
Watch this short video on how to use the Morrisville Smart Shuttle App by clicking here!
The service runs seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Additional details on the Morrisville Smart Shuttle visit TownofMorrisville.org/SmartShuttle
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Shop Local at the Western Wake Farmers' Market
The Western Wake Farmers' Market (WWFM) offers healthy and fresh food and goods from small and local businesses from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. every Saturday at the Healthy Food Hub, 280 Town Hall Drive.
Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local.
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DOT Autonomous Shuttle
Checked out the DOT Autonomous Shuttle at the DOT Summit, which will be piloted soon!
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Spent some time with Secretary Boyette and NC DOT Chair Mike Fox! | |
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The Future of DOT Funding
Congratulations to Secretary Boyette receiving $1 billion check from State Treasurer Dale Folwell as DOT funds are replenished!
Wonderful panel on the Future of DOT Funding!
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Deputy Secretary Ebony Pittman
Visited with Deputy Secretary Ebony Pittman at The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Business Opportunity and Workforce Development Zone for underutilized and disadvantaged businesses!
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Transportation Summit
Visited with DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and Senator Mike Woodard at the Transportation Summit!
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SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY VISITS | |
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On Saturday, November 26th, I visited a number of businesses on Small Business Saturday. This went so well, that I am going to continue this throughout the year, visiting a business or two every Saturday or during the week. I also plan to focus on different markets like Technology, Health Care, Manufacturing, etc.
If you have a business and you want me to visit you and highlight your company, please email me at sr@steverao.com.
Thanks to all the companies who let me drop by.
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Small Business Listening Tour: | |
Send me an email at sr@steverao.com to book a Business Listening visit to your company. | |
Yeet Street Disc Golf
Visit with Yeet Street Disc Golf at Cedar Fork District Park!
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National and North Carolina News | |
Josh Stein Announces Bid for Governor
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced a bid for governor in 2024 on Wednesday, with the Democrat pledging to focus on public education, economic opportunity and equality and to provide a sharp contrast with a potential Republican opponent, right wing extremist Mark Robinson.
“We’ll build a better and brighter North Carolina by standing up for what’s right, fighting to fix what’s wrong and doing right by every single North Carolinians, no matter who you are,” Stein said in a short video released by his campaign.
Stein, the state’s top law enforcement officer since being first elected in 2016, was always considered a likely candidate to attempt to succeed Democrat Roy Cooper, who is term-limited from seeking reelection. Cooper himself was attorney general for four terms, and Stein served under him as head of consumer protection division for several years.
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Stein’s early announcement — 14 months before primary elections — could attempt to prevent any other big names to enter the field. He unveiled what his campaign called 150 endorsements, from former four-term Gov. Jim Hunt and current House Minority Leader Robert Reives to ex-Supreme Court justices and big-city mayors. Stein is also a prolific fundraiser and had $3.4 million in his attorney general campaign coffers at the end of June.
But Stein narrowly won both of his general election bids in 2016 and 2020 — by less than 25,000 votes in a state that, save for gubernatorial contests, has been leaning slightly rightward.
And while Stein has co-led a task force on Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, initiated by Cooper, the attorney general at times has taken criticism from left-leaning advocates, saying he has fallen short on protecting civil rights.
Figuring prominently in the campaign video is Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who has said it’s extremely likely that he’ll enter the gubernatorial race,too.
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GOP Leaders Confirm NC Abortion Law Changes in Works.
As state lawmakers convened on Wednesday for the first day of the 2023 legislative session, abortion rights activists gathered outside the nearby State Capitol to protest anticipated efforts by Republicans to curtail abortion laws this year. Behind the scenes, effort are underway to build consensus among GOP lawmakers on what exactly they should propose.
Having won greater majorities in both the House and Senate in November, Republicans have promised to change the current abortion law, which restricts the procedure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. GOP leaders of both chambers have said there is a range of opinions in their caucuses on how many weeks the law should be rolled back by, and it remains unclear when Republicans will unveil a bill.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Speaker Tim Moore said that House Republicans had put together a working group in their caucus that represented a diverse set of opinions, to try to agree on a proposal with a similar group in the Senate Republican caucus. Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters that lawmakers should provide exceptions for rape and incest. State law currently allows an exception after 20 weeks only for medical emergencies, which critics say is too narrowly defined.
Our law does not allow an exception for rape, does not allow an exception for incest, and I think we need to change that,” Berger told reporters. “I also think that 20 weeks is, in essence, five months into a pregnancy. I think if you look at where the people of the state of North Carolina are, they think that that’s too long.” House Democratic Leader Robert Reives rejected the notion that North Carolinians support a more restrictive abortion law, as Republicans have suggested. “There’s no issue in my mind, where the citizens would fall on this, because of what you’ve seen in other states. You’ve seen states like Kansas and Kentucky, states that I think you would not normally expect to jump up and protect the right to (abortion),” Reives said.
Read More at https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article271056232.html.
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Aetna Awarded State Health Care Contract
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will no longer be the third-party administrator for the State Health Plan come Jan. 1, 2025. According to a press release by North Carolina state Treasurer Dale Folwell, Aetna has been awarded the Third-Party Administrative (TPA) Services Contract for the Health Plan. Aetna beat out BCBSNC and UMR, a health insurance company based in Wisconsin.
The change is significant because BCBSNC has been the TPA for more than 40 years. Blue Cross NC says that it will pursue a formal appeal of the decision.
“It is an honor for Blue Cross NC to serve North Carolina’s teachers, state employees, and their families,” the BCBS statement read. “We are deeply disappointed by the State Health Plan’s decision last month. This is a consequential decision that will impact more than 580,000 State Health Plan members and threatens North Carolina jobs. Blue Cross NC is pursuing a formal appeal and seeking more information through a public records request to ensure the best outcome for North Carolina and all State Health Plan members.”
Folwell told Carolina Journal in a phone interview Wednesday that potential contractors were asked to bid based on the same set of rules, and considerations included cost saving and technical requirements to keep the SHP solvent.
“We have no choice but to drive transparency, higher quality, higher access, and lower cost into our state health plan,” he said.
Folwell said the selection followed a Request for Proposals, a competitive bid process in which the plan solicited and selected industry-leading partners who reported exceptional customer service, technological resources, and professional support. The services under the contract include processing claims and offering a comprehensive network of healthcare providers.
In a press release, the Treasurer’s office characterized the deal with Aetna as a “partnership that focuses on transparency and lower costs.” The press release also said there are potential administrative cost savings of $140 million over the life of the five-year contract.
In August, Folwell shared his concerns about healthcare costs going up, including the possibility that contracts will be renegotiated upward next year.
“I am very concerned that the State Health Plan is going to need $5 billion more incremental dollars over the next several years in order for it to remain solvent,” he said. “This was part of the unfunded healthcare liability (that I have talked about for the past 12 years), and that is what we are facing right now.”
He also said a letter was recently sent to the lawmakers at the General Assembly telling them about the billions of dollars of future financial needs of the SHP.
“We have done all we can,” Folwell said. “We have renegotiated our Medicare Advantage contract at $0 cost to the taxpayer and zero premium to the members. We have renegotiated our pharmacy contract and a savings of $800 million over three years.”
The plan provides health care coverage for nearly 740,000 teachers, state employees, retirees and their dependents. The administrative contract, awarded by the State Health Plan Board of Trustees, oversees healthcare spending of more than $17.5 billion over five years.
In September of 2011, there were already concerns about the health of the State Health Plan, after North Carolina state Auditor Beth Wood commented in a performance audit of the plan. According to the audit obtained by C.J. from Folwell’s office, Wood’s statements said the plan was at risk for overpaying claims.
“It must rely solely on BCBSNC auditors and information from the BCBSNC computer system to identify discount errors,” Wood’s statement read. “Because the Plan does not have access to contracts between BCBSNC and the medical providers, the Plan does not have a method for independently determining if an improper discount rate has been applied to a Plan member’s claims.”
Folwell has made pricing transparency and cost reduction in healthcare a centerpiece of his tenure as treasurer and, in recent months, has indicated his interest in running for governor in 2024. He has continued a battle with N.C. hospitals over profits from Medicare and COVID relief funds, using terms like “healthcare cartel” to describe the N.C. Healthcare Association. He’s also pushed lawmakers to pass a Medical Debt De-Weaponization Act, which would limit interest rates and collections on medical debt.
The three-year initial service period for the contract with Aetna begins Jan. 1, 2025, and continues through Dec. 31, 2027, with the option to renew for two one-year terms.
“Partnering with Aetna, which already employs over 10,000 people in North Carolina, will create a lot of new opportunities for the Plan and the members we serve,” Folwell said in the press release. “A change of this magnitude is a great opportunity for a fresh perspective, and we look forward to working closely with Aetna to create new ways to provide price transparency, increase access and quality while lowering the cost of health care for those who teach, protect and serve, and taxpayers like them.”
Starting Wednesday, nearly 600 Aetna employees have been assigned to work on the transition with State Health Plan director Sam Watts for the next two years.
Plan members will start receiving more information regarding the changes in 2024 before open enrollment for the 2025 benefit year.
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FDA ALLOWS PHARMA TO SELL ABORTION PILL BUT NC LAW IS COMPLICATED
In an effort to make abortion pills more accessible, a new Food and Drug Administration regulation will allow retail pharmacies to dispense the medication for the first time. However, a state “informed consent” abortion law may prevent the change from improving access in North Carolina. Mifepristone, which blocks the hormones needed for pregnancy development, is the first part of a two-pill regimen that ends a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks of gestation.
Until now, mifepristone could only be dispensed by licensed doctors and clinics and a handful of mail-order pharmacies. The FDA’s new guidance gives pharmacies the option to become certified to sell the drug to patients with a valid prescription. But a provision in that state law requires that a doctor be in the room when a patient takes the first abortion pill. And that could complicate how the FDA’s new regulation works in North Carolina.
Jay Campbell, the executive director of the NC Pharmacy board, said the law doesn’t prevent pharmacies from becoming certified to dispense mifepristone. But it’s unclear whether the law would require patients to go back to their doctor’s office to be observed while taking the pill. If that’s the case, the new regulations might not make the drug more accessible for patients in North Carolina, said Dr. Beverly Gray, a Duke OB-GYN. “That would be really tough to navigate,” she said. “It’s just easier to directly administer in clinic rather than have a patient come back to watch them swallow a pill.
The N.C. Medical Board, which regulates the medical profession, has not issued guidance to the state’s physicians on the issue and does not have immediate plans to, a spokesperson for the organization said. The state Attorney General’s Office is not authorized to give guidance to physicians, a spokesperson there said. “I’ve had colleagues that are just very confused about what’s going on,” Gray said. “It’s just unclear whether this is good news for North Carolina.”
Gray said she fears the state’s complicated abortion laws could dissuade retail pharmacies from stocking mifepristone altogether in North Carolina.
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GUN TRAGEDY IN MONTEREY, CA
The gunman who killed 10 people and wounded at least 10 others at a ballroom dance hall in Monterey Park, Calif., shot and killed himself after being pulled over for a traffic stop, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said late Sunday.
Luna identified the shooter as Huu Can Tran, a 72-year-old man of Asian decent. After a sweeping manhunt across Los Angeles, law enforcement converged on a white van that they pinned between two armored police trucks in a Torrance parking lot, a roughly 40-minute drive from the suburb east of downtown Los Angeles where the rampage began. Following a tense standoff, officers approached the van, finding Tran’s body in the driver’s seat and evidence that tied him to the shooting in the van, Luna said.
The shooting cut short the festivities planned for Lunar New Year in the predominantly Asian American communLunar New Year event was scheduled to end, authorities said. The second day of the festival was canceled, the city of Monterey Park announced Sunday.weapon away from him, authorities said.
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JEFF ZIENTS TO BECOME BIDEN’s NEW CHIEF OF STAFF
Jeff Zients, who ran President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 response effort and served in high-ranking roles in the Obama administration, is expected to replace Ron Klain as the next White House chief of staff, according to three people briefed on the matter.
Klain is expected to step down in the coming weeks.
The move to replace Klain is particularly important for Biden, who has entered a critical moment in his presidency and his political future. As he continues to weigh whether to seek reelection in 2024, the early stages of a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents has rattled Democrats and emboldened congressional Republicans, who now hold the House majority and have pledged their own probes.
Biden decided on Zients after an internal search when it became clear that Klain favored Zients as his successor, a factor that played a big role in the president’s decision. Klain had tapped Zients to lead a talent search for expected staff turnover following the midterm elections, but that didn’t ultimately materialize after Democrats performed better than expected. Klain is now the most significant departure and is being replaced by the person he picked to help bring in new team members.
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JACINDA ACERN WILL RESIGN AS NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday she will stand aside for a new leader within weeks, saying she doesn’t believe she has the energy to seek re-election in the October polls.
Speaking at a news conference, Ardern said her term would end by February 7, when she expects a new Labour prime minister will be sworn in – though “depending on the process that could be earlier.”
“The decision was my own,” Ardern said. “Leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, but also the most challenging. You cannot and should not do the job unless you have a full tank, plus a bit in reserve for those unplanned and unexpected challenges.”
“I no longer have enough in the tank to do the job justice,” she added.
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ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND APPOINTS SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO PROBE BIDEN CLASSIFIED RECORDS
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday appointed former federal prosecutor Robert Hur as special counsel to investigate the discovery of classified government records at the private home and office of President Joe Biden.
Hur is authorized “to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in connection with this matter,” Garland said in a public statement he made on the appointment at the Department of Justice.
Hur served as the U.S. Attorney for Maryland from 2018 through 2021, after being nominated for that post by then-President Donald Trump, a Republican.
Garland’s announcement, which cited “extraordinary circumstances,” came hours after Biden and his lawyer said that a second batch of classified documents recently had been found in a garage in the Democratic president’s private home in Wilmington, Delaware. That discovery was made on Dec. 20.
A first batch of classified documents was found on Nov. 2 by lawyers for the president in an office in a Washington think tank that Biden had used while a private citizen between 2017 and 2021, after serving as vice president in the Obama administration.
It is not known why lawyers for Biden waited more than one month to search for government records in other locations associated with the president.
The discovery of the first batch of classified records was only publicly reported on Monday by media outlets and later confirmed by the White House.
The White House has not answered why the discovery was not disclosed when it occurred, which was one week before the November midterm congressional elections.
The first discovery also occurred nearly three months after FBI agents raided the Florida residence of Trump, who is under criminal investigation for retaining thousands of government records, many of them classified, which were found during the raid.
Presidents and vice presidents are required, by law, to return government records to the National Records and Archives Administration when they leave office.
Read More at https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/12/special-counsel-named-to-probe-classified-records-found-at-bidens-private-home-and-office.html.
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POLAND PUSHES FOR MORE GERMAN TANKS IN KYIV
Poland will ask Germany for permission to send some of the Polish army’s Leopard tanks to Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Monday, as he pushes Europe to send more military hardware to Kyiv amid complaints that Germany is being too slow in helping to thwart Russia’s invasion.
Morawiecki didn’t specify when the request will be made. He said that Poland is building a coalition of nations ready to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.
Poland needs the consent of Germany, which builds the tanks, to send them to a non-NATO country.
But even if there is no permission from Germany, Warsaw will make its own decisions, Morawiecki said.
Poland has become a leading advocate in the European Union for giving Ukraine the military aid that could help it prevail over the Kremlin’s invading forces 11 months after the war started. Germany’s hesitation has drawn criticism, particularly from Poland and the Baltic states, countries on NATO’s eastern flank that feel especially threatened by Russia’s renewed aggression.
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Tune in on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm to PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum for our engaging discussions on trending topics!
Please watch for the Black Issues Forum on UNC-TV! Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4 pm!
Engaging Discussion on PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum on Affirmative Action, Election Security and other matters.
Link to the Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIOR-ih-Fg
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Sunday at 4 pm for our Radio Nyra Interview | Join me every Sunday at 4pm for a new show. 99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! | |
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Radio NYRA
Join me Sunday 4 PM on Radio NYRA for another update on local issues.
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99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! Listen at www.radionyrausa.com!
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Join us every Friday on World Edition at 10 am for the Great America Project Panel where we discuss how we rebuild Americas' image with leaders from around the country and world.
OFFICIAL International Broadcast Media
Public Open Dialogue TV is a worldwide multilingual, multi-demographic network focused on inspiring, educating and entertaining the global community. We provide unique programming in areas not covered by traditional media, and provide a platform for the audience to engage with those shows. Formerly IBMTV.
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Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville.
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Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
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