A third of North Carolinians don’t have a primary care doctor

Almost a 3rd of North Carolinians who obtained medical care within the final six years did not see a main care physician, a FAIR Well being evaluation offered first to Axios reveals.

• That is on par with the nationwide common, which factors to a scarcity of main care suppliers throughout the nation.

Why it issues: Main care suppliers are purported to handle sufferers’ day-to-day well being wants and supply preventative care, and proof reveals it will probably drive down prices and enhance outcomes, however a big chunk of our state is getting care elsewhere, Axios’ Tina Reed writes.

State of play: A bipartisan group of North Carolina lawmakers re-filed a invoice final month that might grant extra independence to the state’s most extremely skilled nurses, a proposal that supporters say might deal with main care shortages.

• That proposal, known as the SAVE Act, was beforehand launched final 12 months as a part of a Medicaid enlargement proposal final 12 months, which supporters have stated was wanted to extend suppliers as extra sufferers are added to the state’s rolls.

The most recent: This 12 months, the 2 proposals are continuing individually.

• The state Senate handed a Medicaid enlargement invoice Tuesday, and it is unclear whether or not the SAVE Act, which has broad, bipartisan assist, will advance by itself.