The WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI) Podcast

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 regio...

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...

coming soon 

In this episode, we learn about the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP)'s Produce Prescription Program 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 s...

Recorded on 6-15-26, learn about health policy updates impacting WNC, including: An overview on how NC Medicaid stands following the OBBBA. Read about NC's changes here Comment period for CMS's June 3rd rules on medical frailty is open here .  Will HB 2076, "The Innovations Waitlist Reduction Act" continue or die in a committee? Healthcare committee endorsed SB 978 without cutting CEO pay cap and...

Recorded on June 8th, we talk about: Changes to the NC Health Plan , increases for retirees, decreases for others approved on June 1st A virtual Annual 1115 Waiver Forum offers opportunity to ask questions about the future of HOP: 1-2 p.m., Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Does the Rate Payer Protection Act protect utility rates? While creating regulations for data centers, it seems to build in other incr...

Recorded on June 1, 2026   More coming soon

Flash flooding & Fuel Prices as Social Determinants of Health DHS to use NC Medicaid Data House Bill 565 " Check Yes, Save Lives" Becomes "Limit use of AI Medicaid/Commercial Insurance through Proposed " through proposed committee substitute.  Senate bill 961, " Hospital Authority Commissioner Reforms "  Senate Bill 978 " Healthcare Competition Reforms " Senate Bill 863 “ Streamline Adult Care...

Listen in for updates from May 19th, including: Governor Stein Proclaims North Carolina Heat Safety Week The Office of State Budget and Management reported $2.6 billion more available in NC's upcoming budget Stein makes recommendations to the state budget to combat opioids Stein signs E.O. 36 concerning housing affordability  HB 1154:  Expand the FarmSHARE Food Hub Program is sent back to the Comm...

Federal Updates: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Resigns, highlighting ongoing instability in national health leadership Upcoming July 24 deadline for compliance with EO 14398 means WNC organizations with existing federal grants could face termination or fines if they fail to comply with new standards regarding language surrounding equity.  US Supreme Court nullifies part of Section 2 of the Voting...

Listen in for health policy updates in WNC from May 5, 2026! 

WNC is home to many innovative strategies for navigating complex health challenges. Two of those include the role of Community Health Workers in the healthcare workforce and the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, which abruptly ended in the summer of 2025 due to the General Assembly's failure to pass a budget.  In this episode we hear from Jacque Ballard, a community health worker who has worked in both...

Recorded April 27, this episode covers: Key takeaways from the recent federal hearing with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including discussions on vaccines, Medicaid funding, and public trust The passage of North Carolina House Bill 696, allocating $319 million to sustain Medicaid coverage through the end of the year Ongoing debates around new Medicaid requirements adopted in HB 696, includi...

In this episode we speak with Paula Swepson Avery and Ginger Webb from West Marion Inc. about their decade-long journey of community transformation in McDowell County. They tell us how meaningful progress requires long-term commitment, not constantly shifting strategies, and how their work centers on addressing the social determinants of health, like housing, transportation, food access, childcare...

Updates from 4-20-26 Disaster Policy in WNC Current drought conditions in NC have led to a statewide burn ban and a variety of water regulation policies in the state, but in WNC, Henderson County has opted to create a new water source from the French Broad River and do not anticipate needing water mitigation measures at this time  The anticipated El Niño, especially after drought conditions, incre...

Check out these health policy updates from 4-14-26 The University of North Carolina System Workforce Alignment Report notes gaps between degrees completed in NC and the demand for jobs (such as nursing). . .    Leadership Update Maggie Woods was named Director of the North Carolina Rural Health Transformation Program on 4-6-26 Upcoming Film: The Root of Good Health A documentary highlighting North...

Listen in to hear about: the continued NC Burn Ban due to statewide drought conditions Congressman Edwards' Healthcare Accountability Act proposed to address HCA's management of Mission Hospital by providing greater regulatory tools for CMS $26 million in FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant funding released to WNC, including Polk, Yancey, and Henderson counties, to acquire and demolish high-risk properti...

Recorded on 3-31-26 Description coming soon

In this installment, we highlight a recent audio piece that came out of an innovative health project in Buncombe County called the Mutual Aid Wellness Collective . This collective is a group of providers who mobilized in response to Hurricane Helene to address health needs after the natural disaster and continue on the ground with the ongoing disaster of limited access to healthcare. This audio pi...

With updates on Monday, March 23rd, we look at:   A Mission Hospital Update: As Mission Hospital faces mounting scrutiny after safety violations, it seeks to meet a high-stakes deadline that could put its Medicare and Medicaid funding at risk. They have recently announced a corrective plan now in place supported by 'Bryant Healthcare Consultants.'  Nonprofit Hospital Tax Proposal: North Carolina l...

As natural disasters and food access challenges increase, communities are turning to hyper-local solutions to build resilience from the ground up. This episode explores how food policy councils, urban agriculture, and community-based education are shaping local health policy in Western North Carolina. Speaking with Bountiful Cities' Outreach Coordinator, Cathy Cleary, we hear how strategies from s...

This week’s update brings up: A new federal housing bill  NC's competitive bidding process to select new vendors for the North Carolina State Health Plan An overview of the 2026 WNC Health Policy Initiative Legislative Summit, which brought together policymakers, healthcare leaders, researchers, and community organizations to focus on three priority areas: access to care, workforce development, an...

WNC Health Policy Update: Primary Winners' Health Policy Positions, $1.4 Billion Critical Needs Budget Proposal, and Public Comment Opportunities Listen for a quick look at: Where WNC’s primary winners for the US House and Senate stand on health policy Efforts to restore funding for the North Carolina Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a statewide program aimed at improving maternal and infant healt...

New federal changes under H.R.1 could significantly impact Medicaid and rural health systems across North Carolina. This episode features a conversation with NC Health News reporter Jaymie Baxley about what those changes could mean—and how the state’s new Rural Health Transformation Program aims to support rural communities. The discussion explores the opportunities, limitations, and what’s at sta...

This week in North Carolina health policy: Medicaid leadership change: NC Medicaid Director Jay Ludlum is stepping down. Melanie Bush, the state’s Assistant Secretary of Medicaid has been named interim deputy secretary. ROOTS Hubs applications open: North Carolina has released applications for ROOTS Hubs — Rural Organizations Orchestrating Transformation for Sustainability — regional networks that...