North Carolina

Kody Kinsley: From the heart – expand Medicaid now

Published

2 years ago

March 9, 2023

Kody Kinsley: From the heart – expand Medicaid now

EDITOR’S NOTE: Kody Kinsley is the secretary of the North Carolina Division of Well being and Human Companies.

600,000 — By now everyone knows the quantity of people that will be capable of get well being care protection if North Carolina expands Medicaid. Much more numbers are concerned – household dimension, signing bonuses and funds for hospitals. It provides as much as billions, and in these {dollars} are 600,000 tales of how lives will change with higher care.

One such story for me is ready within the tree tops of my pal Patrick’s yard, once I was 11. Patrick and I spent lots of time within the woods behind his home – constructing forts, using bikes, and climbing skywards to maintain watch. However someday, gravity received the perfect of me. Hurricane Fran had battered Wilmington and left jagged branches snapped off on the trunk.

On my means down, a department stabbed my leg and ripped it open. In a flash, Patrick’s dad had me in his truck and we have been off to pressing care, choosing up my mother on the best way. My mom’s first concern, after all, was me. I keep in mind listening to her second when she leaned over to Patricks’ dad and whispered: “We don’t have medical insurance.”

My mother cleaned homes and my dad labored as a carpenter. They offered properly for my brother and me: meals, garments, college provides, and extra. However medical insurance was at all times out of attain. Their work was vital and had worth to others in our neighborhood, however medical insurance was simply too costly.

It’s the identical story we hear immediately from childcare staff, farmers, retail staff, and others: They love what they do, they make an excessive amount of cash to qualify for any help to purchase protection however not sufficient cash to afford it outright.

Caught in that scenario, many households immediately navigate the well being care system like my mother did: A pediatrician noticed us on a sliding scale; would give us remedy samples if I wanted antibiotics; and we’d nonetheless reduce on the grocery retailer to afford it. Once I fell, Patrick’s dad helped us out. And day by day, my mother continued to hope and pray that she stayed properly sufficient to offer for her household, and that her children didn’t get sick.

This story repeats day by day for uninsured North Carolinians. And lots of households are far much less fortunate than we have been: power diseases, hazardous work, and different challenges make their lack of medical insurance add up rapidly into unhealthy debt and misplaced lives.

Growth will change these every day stresses for the grocery retailer employee, permitting her to squeeze in a check-up between shifts. It should assist the veteran who doesn’t have V.A. protection see a therapist. It could possibly present remedy for a mum or dad with a power sickness, to allow them to stay an extended and more healthy life whereas caring for his or her disabled baby.

And it may be a lot extra – some extent of inflection that improves well being and well-being throughout North Carolina. The infusion of funding in rural areas will assist hospitals keep open and preserve providers like labor and supply obtainable.

Folks with mental and developmental disabilities will be capable of take part within the workforce with much less danger of shedding insurance coverage. And people that fall sick and lose their job may have a path to get properly and get again to work.

Behavioral well being care, battered by latest nerve-racking years and a long time of underfunding, will be reworked. Every night time, 350 folks throughout the state sleep on flooring or in chairs in emergency departments, ready for care. And 1000’s of households, looking for care for his or her family members, have misplaced all hope.

We will intervene earlier, earlier than an issue turns into a disaster. We will present providers for kids — in class and past – and assist these with advanced must thrive in communities. We may help folks with psychological diseases or substance use dysfunction earlier than they go to jail and divert them to remedy.

This can elevate entire households and communities out of a pricey cycle of hopelessness. Behavioral well being is crucial to well being, and once we put money into it, we see power illness bills and different prices borne by native governments plummet.

Medicaid growth will assist rewrite all these tales. And if we act rapidly, the extra $1.8 billion in federal funding will open a brand new chapter for psychological well being, rural well being, and dealing households.

Our state is at its greatest when folks come collectively to assist each other. Patrick’s dad ended up paying for my stitches and the subsequent time I see you, I’m comfortable to indicate you my scar.

Growth is a chance to assist to our neighbors, to pay it ahead, and put money into a more healthy future for everybody.

So let’s please get this finished — make Medicaid growth actual as quickly as attainable. For 600,000 folks, for folks like my mother and father and me, that is life altering.

Capitol Broadcasting Firm’s Opinion Part seeks a broad vary of feedback and letters to the editor. Our Feedback beside every opinion column provide the chance to have interaction in a dialogue about this text.

As well as, we invite you to jot down a letter to the editor about this or every other opinion articles. Listed here are some recommendations on submissions >> SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Source link

Click to comment

North Carolina

Live Updates: Ball State vs No. 16 North Carolina At Battle 4 Atlantis 2024 – FloHoops

Published

8 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

Live Updates: Ball State vs No. 16 North Carolina At Battle 4 Atlantis 2024 – FloHoops

No. 16 North Carolina and MAC favorite Ball State face-off in the Bahamas for a special one to kick off two weeks full of holiday college basketball tournaments coming live to FloHoops. The game begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 23 and is the second of many in the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis Women’s College Basketball tournament.

The Paradise Island, Bahamas-based tournament hosts eight teams including No. 18 Baylor, Indiana, and Texas A&M.

No. 16 North Carolina is 3-1, coming off of a close loss a week ago to No. 2 UConn, falling 58-69 to the Huskies. They hold wins this season against NC A&T, UNC-Wilmington, and Charleston Southern.

Currently undefeated, Ball State will be hoping to upset North Carolina to add an important win to their resume en route to a potential at-large bid to the NCAA tournament at the end of the season. They have defeated Northern Iowa, IUPUI, Memphis, and Old Dominion so far this season.

Read the live updates, watch highlights and view scores after the game tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Live Updates: Ball State vs No. 16 North Carolina Score At Battle 4 Atlantis

Refresh the page for live updates, highlights and scores from today’s game in the Bahamas. Tip off is at 6:30 p.m. ET.

While You Wait…LIVE NOW: Watch Columbia vs Indiana

Click here to tune in live to more women’s college basketball live on FloHoops.

we’ve got a 3️⃣ point game y’all 👏@CULionsWBB | #Battle4Atlantis | @B4AOfficial pic.twitter.com/9Rg0GzJtl6
— FloCollege | Basketball (@FloCollegeHoops) November 23, 2024
Advertisement

Earlier Today On FloHoops: Baylor Puts Up 15 Threes, Hits Triple Digits vs Southern Miss

After four great quarters of basketball between Southern Miss and Baylor—the Lady Bears come out on top of game one of the Battle 4 Atlantis Women’s tournament.

Five Baylor players had more than 14 points today against the Lady Eagles and were 44% (15-34) from behind the three-point line, making that the most threes for them this season. Fontleroy and Andrews both tallied four.

For Southern Miss, Grayson and Evans led the points with 12, despite Grayson fouling out.

Despite their quick start, the Eagles were unable to keep up with Baylor and will be looking for redemption against the loser of Columbia vs Indiana. Baylor will play the winner.

Read the full game recap.

Battle 4 Atlantis Women’s Tournament Schedule

Saturday, November 23

Sunday, November 24

Monday, November 25

Battle 4 Atlantis Women’s Bracket

Battle 4 Atlantis 2024 Women’s Teams

How To Watch The Battle 4 Atlantis 2024 Women’s Tournament

Every game except the championship of the Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis will be streaming on FloHoops, FloCollege and the new FloSports streaming app.

Game replays, highlights and more will be available on all platforms.

How To Watch College Basketball On The FloSports Network

Basketball games are streaming all year long on FloHoops, FloCollege and the new FloSports streaming app. Game replays, highlights and more will be available on all platforms.

Watch NCAA Women’s Basketball On FloHoops

The NCAA Women’s Basketball is streaming live on FloHoops and the FloSports app.

The BIG EAST Digital Network is also on FloHoops and the FloSports app.

FloHoops Archived Footage

Video footage from all events will be archived and stored in a video library for FloHoops subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

Join the College Basketball Conversation on FloHoops Social

Source link

North Carolina

North Carolina A&T now offers degree in artificial intelligence

Published

16 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

North Carolina A&T now offers degree in artificial intelligence

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina A&T State University is now offering a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence.

It is a milestone for the university to be the first in our state and one of only a handful in the nation to offer this program.

In the program, students can pick one of two concentrations: Advanced AI Systems through the College of Engineering and Applied AI in the College of Science and Technology. Courses are available both in-person and online.

Some schools already offer a concentration in artificial intelligence, but A&T will be offering a full program dedicated to AI. The university said there are talks to develop a graduate studies program in AI.

School officials report that AI jobs are increasing in North Carolina, which will help in workforce development. According to a recent Hanover Research report, North Carolina is projected to grow at a pace over three times faster than the overall labor market, potentially generating more than 20,000 new jobs.

“Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are increasingly part of everyday life with the potential for profound and far-reaching impact on virtually every facet of society,” Chancellor James R. Martin II said in a news release. “Collaborating with federal and state agencies, major industry leaders and fellow research universities, we have created a rich AI learning environment that is well informed by the latest in science and policy. Our new bachelor’s degree will prepare students for immediate impact, especially in the critical area of human interaction with AI.”

They anticipate enrolling their first group next fall.

SEE ALSO | James Martin II announced as new chancellor for NC A&T after UNC BOG unanimous vote

Source link

North Carolina

As energy needs grow, North Carolina faces solar roadblocks

Published

1 day ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

As energy needs grow, North Carolina faces solar roadblocks

North Carolina’s solar energy landscape is at a crossroads as the state works to meet its ambitious climate goals.

Under House Bill 951, passed in 2021, North Carolina is required to cut carbon emissions in the energy sector by 70% from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, meeting these targets is proving difficult as energy demand surges.

Jeff Hughes, a commissioner with the North Carolina Utilities Commission, says that it’s challenging to maintain grid reliability while pursuing aggressive decarbonization goals.

“If we have two gigawatts of load coming in the next three or four years, it’s going to be very difficult to model our way, to solarize our way out of it,” Hughes said, pointing to the growing demand from industries like AI-driven data centers.

Duke Energy, the state’s largest utility, has said fossil fuels are essential to ensuring reliable power amid increasing demand. Critics argue that the company’s reliance on natural gas and coal could derail progress toward cutting emissions.

North Carolina has long been a leader in solar energy, initially driven by smaller, five-megawatt projects. Today, the focus has shifted to larger installations, which are more efficient but face growing local opposition.

Carson Hart, CEO of Carolina Solar Energy, said scaling up has been key to increasing clean energy capacity. “Moving to these bigger projects has been really beneficial for getting more megawatts in the ground and meeting the state’s climate goals,” Hart said. But she noted that large projects often draw pushback from residents concerned about aesthetics and land use.

Rural areas are at the heart of the state’s solar boom, hosting about 80% of large-scale projects. Reginald Bynum Jr., director of community outreach at the Center for Energy Education, said rural North Carolina plays a critical role in meeting the state’s clean energy goals.

“My job is to make sure rural communities don’t miss the movement,” Bynum said. “These projects bring jobs, economic growth, and opportunities to areas that desperately need them.”

The economic impact of solar energy is substantial. In counties with significant solar development, property tax revenues have increased by as much as 1,600%, according to the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. These funds have supported schools, infrastructure, and emergency services in areas facing population declines and economic challenges.

The state’s clean energy sector also supports more than 110,000 full-time jobs, according to a report from e2, with many more expected as solar development continues.

Hughes said the state’s carbon plan, which is updated every two years, will play a key role in charting a path forward.

“There’s a lot of check and adjust that will occur over the next few years,” he said.

As North Carolina advances its solar energy ambitions, balancing the needs of developers, communities, and environmental goals will be essential to achieving a sustainable and reliable energy future.

Source link