Medicare Advantage (MA), also known as Part C, has become the dominant path through which older adults receive Medicare coverage. More than half of all beneficiaries — roughly 33–34 million people — are enrolled in plans operated by private insurers. These plans promise convenience and financial protection, including caps on out‑of‑pocket spending and some extra benefits not found in Original Medicare. At the same time, MA brings challenges that stem directly from how the program is designed, and these structural incentives can affect access to timely care, especially for people with complex health needs or limited provider options.

Health policy doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it’s the product of political negotiation, lobbying, legislation and often a delicate balance of regional interests. On a recent episode of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jackson County’s own Dr. Chris Cooper, Robert Lee Madison Distinguished Professor and Director of the Haire Institute for Public Policy Western Carolina University at Western Carolina University, and author of Anatomy of a Purple State, to take a deeper look at the dynamics shaping health policy in North Carolina today. In this article, we explore the current background and landscape of health policy in North Carolina touched on by Dr. Cooper, as well as review some of the relevant legislation coming up on the NC General Assembly’s consideration in the coming months.

On July 4, 2025, Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” or H.R.1, into law. The funding cuts and policy changes embedded in this sweeping legislation could reshape healthcare access across Western North Carolina. Join us as we sit down with Katie Alexander and Ali Houghton from Pisgah Legal Services to discuss this controversial piece of federal legislation and gain insight into what it could mean for healthcare access in WNC.

On July 4, 2025, Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” or H.R.1, into law. The funding cuts and policy changes embedded in this sweeping legislation could reshape healthcare access across Western North Carolina. WNC HPI sat down with Katie Alexander and Ali Houghton from Pisgah Legal Services to discuss this controversial piece of federal legislation and gain insight into what it could mean for healthcare access in WNC.

On April 29th, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2025 to the US Congress. This legislation would provide comprehensive Medicare coverage to every American with no premiums, no co-payments and no deductibles, and would expand Medicare to include dental, hearing, and vision care. Estimates indicate that a Medicare for All system could save $650 billion and 68,000 lives every year.

Dec. 1, 2024 marks the first anniversary of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, which has expanded affordable health care coverage to nearly 600,000 North Carolinians. Learn how NC Medicaid expansion has impacted access to health care in your county, and join us in celebrating this landmark health policy milestone in NC.