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.

In this episode of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Chris Cooper, distinguished political scientist from Western Carolina University, to unpack the forces shaping health policy in North Carolina. From the role of lobbying and interest groups to the legislative process behind health-related bills currently on the table, Dr. Cooper offers a look into how policy is made, and offers insights into how you can effectively advocate for the issues that matter most.