North Carolina State Senator Buck Newton’s inaction on a state budget threatens the state’s health care system and the funding of care for thousands of eastern North Carolinians. As the GOP-run legislature fails to pass a comprehensive state budget, the state’s Medicaid program may run out of money in the spring of 2026.
According to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, over 30% of the population in counties in Newton’s district are enrolled in Medicaid.
- Wayne County: 46,021 (39% of the population)
- Wilson County: 31,153 (39% of the population)
- Greene County: 6,696 (33% of the population)
Beyond Medicaid, the failure to pass a budget could affect vital healthcare facilities operating across North Carolina.
Senate District 4 is home to a state-run hospital that is facing trouble. Leaders at the Longleaf Neuro-Medical Treatment Center in Wilson shared their concerns with the Goldsboro Daily News. In 2025, they reported over 200 open positions, particularly in their nursing department, which they fear will intensify with cuts to healthcare.
Similar concerns about staff shortages were reported at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, which is one of three in the State Psychiatric Hospital program that provides essential care to patients and medical training to the Schools of Medicine for East Carolina University and Campbell University.
The purple region in the map below shows the counties for which Cherry Hospital is the assigned state psychiatric hospital based on NC DHHS data.
In a March 27, 2026 visit to eastern North Carolina, the NCDHHS Secretary cited the “state budget uncertainty” as a major concern for rural hospitals, which are some of the largest employers in the region.
Like a lot of North Carolinians, thousands of District 4 residents work in the “healthcare & social assistance” field based on designations by the NC Department of Commerce.
- Wayne County: 4,597 (13.3% of area)
- Wilson County: 7,203 (17.8% of area)
- Greene County: 510 (11.7% of area)
As limited health care access and job opportunities become a growing concern, Sen. Newton must address the multi-sided threats to healthcare in his district by passing a state budget. As chairman of a Senate budget committee, Newton has the ability to help pass the budget, yet he has refused to act.
Ultimately, Newton’s inaction puts tens of thousands of his constituents at risk of losing their insurance. In addition, rural healthcare systems from Goldsboro to Mount Olive, bastions of medical education, major employers, and providers of critical care to eastern North Carolina, will face cuts to their already decimated systems.
This budget is long past due– so much so that North Carolina is the only state in the country without a comprehensive state budget. This Republican impasse means higher costs, more debt, and lower quality care for working families all across our state.
It’s long past time for Republican leadership to put politics aside. Call Senator Buck Newton today and ask him to pass a full budget– one that funds our health care, lowers costs, supports our educators, and invests in the communities that make North Carolina strong.
To contact Newton, call (919)733-5878.
