HPI POLICY PAGE
Welcome to the WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI) Policy Page
Here you will find brief weekly policy updates relevant to the work of the HPI and Western North Carolina, with a focus on state policies, and a list of state-level health policy resources. Note that this page is updated regularly, and at minimum weekly on Monday mornings.
HPI & WNC-Relevant State Policy Updates
Read below for weekly updates on state-level policies relevant to the WNC HPI and Western North Carolina. Note that the updates are drafted from AI-generated and edited content and language.
September 29, 2025
Selected WNC-Relevant State Health Policy Updates:
HB 307 (“Iryna’s Law”) was passed by the NC Legislature and went to the Governor on Tuesday 9/23/25. According to a Carolina Journal article, the bill “tightens pretrial conditions for the release of violent offenders, eliminates cashless bail, establishes a new protocol for ordering mental health evaluations in the criminal justice system, and sets a firmer timeline for appeal in death penalty cases.” Critics pointed out that there are no additional funds allocated for mental health evaluations or care.
Governor Josh Stein announced that starting this week, the state is lowering reimbursement rates to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, according to an AP News article.
The NC Department of Health and Human Services is inviting input on its Rural Health Transformation Plan application to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services . Western North Carolina organizations and individuals may submit input here by October 15th. For reference, the WNC Health Network shared their comments.
Would you like to receive a weekly email to remember to visit this policy update page? If so, email abatada@unca.edu.
North Carolina Policy News Resources
Check out these resources for more information on health policy in North Carolina.
Founded in November 2011 as a North Carolina nonprofit, NCHN is an independent news organization devoted to covering health care in the state. Their mission is to fill the widening gap in media coverage by creating a substantive website that will provide crucial information about health care in North Carolina.
https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/
The North Carolina Newsroom is a journalism collaboration expanding state government news coverage for North Carolina audiences, reporting stories that matter in communities served by public radio stations WFAE, WFDD, BPR, WHQR, and WUNC.
https://www.wunc.org/tags/nc-newsroom
The North Carolina Justice Center’s mission is to eliminate poverty in North Carolina by ensuring that every household in the state has access to the resources, services, and fair treatment it needs to achieve economic security.
https://www.ncjustice.org/projects/nc-policy-watch/
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) Press Release Page
View recent and search all press releases by the NC DHHS.
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/press-releases
North Carolina Healthcare Association - News Page
NCHA represents North Carolina’s individual and multi-hospital health systems — teaching, rural, small community, suburban, specialty, and continuing care facilities — providing acute care, rehabilitative, behavioral, psychiatric and veterans’ services.
Carolina Forward is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit policy organization that advocates for ideas, policies and values to build a stronger North Carolina that works for all its people.