Damaged municipal water systems, compromised septic systems, and contaminated drinking water caused by flooded private wells have state public health officials concerned.
North Carolina has one of the highest rates of medical debt in the U.S., ranking 4th in the nation. In 2022, 20% of residents had medical debt in collections—equivalent to one in five people.
Researchers saw a 3% increase in tubal sterilizations, commonly known as getting “tubes tied,” per month between July and December 2022 in states with abortion bans. Vasectomies increased over three times during that same period.
Across the state, the executive directors of nearly two dozen community-based organizations are calling on health care providers to remove liens for homeowners with medical debt.
In the highly watched governor’s race, reproductive rights advocate Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein is up against Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who has openly declared that “there is no compromise on abortion.”
An analysis of 32,000 individuals who participated in new drug trials in the US during 2020 showed that only 8% were Black, 6% Asian, 11% Hispanic and 30% were age 65 and older – showing the underrepresentation of diverse populations in clinical trials.
At a recent meet-and-greet in Rockingham County, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson told an attendee that he believes birth control is “being forced on very young ladies” and implied that providing girls with birth control will make them want to have sex.
Amber Nicole Thurman, 28, died from an infection that was preventable and also treatable with a routine procedure – one that she was unable to get because of new, highly restrictive laws.
“This is the first year that they’re really just not funding even close to the level that we’ve requested,” Melanie Bush, deputy Medicaid director at DHHS, told NC Health News.
Republican state Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes voted for the state’s 12-week abortion ban (and the veto override) and then lied to her constituents, telling them the ban would “expand the rights of women.”