Editorial: Reckless personal attacks harm efforts to resolve State Health Plan

Friday, July 26, 2019 -- Engaging in a bitter and personal attack campaign against hospital executives and issuing toothless take-it-or-leave-it ultimatums simply makes matters worse. Take down the "million-dollar-mike" website. Get rid of the mean-spirited attack video. State Treasurer Dale Folwell and the hospital systems need, now, to sit together and workout a program that provides economic stability for the providers and a cost-effective plan for state workers, their dependents and retirees.

Posted 2:46 a.m. Jul 26, 2019 — Updated 5:23 p.m. Jul 26, 2019

CBC Editorial: Friday, July 26, 2019; Editorial #8447

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.

The latest outburst from State Treasurer Dale Folwell and the State Employees Association of North Carolina is unprofessional, irresponsible and continues to jeopardize health care for ALL North Carolinians.

Earlier this week Folwell offered to increase payments to hospitals by $116 million in his effort reform the State Health Plan – that covers more than 700,000 state workers, dependents and retirees – as well as re-open the sign-up period after nearly all the state’s hospital systems refused to join.

At the same time Folwell announced what he termed his “final offer,” the State Employees Association of North Carolina, a key Folwell ally in his effort, launched a mean-spirited personal attack on Michael Waldrum – the CEO of Vidant Health – the system that serves 29 counties in eastern North Carolina and operates the teaching hospital for Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

The video mocks Waldrum as greedy and selfish. It complains that he seeks a “profit” for the non-profit health care system. Vidant’s operations are overseen by a board that has a fiduciary responsibility to maintain financial viability. This isn’t just about Waldrum. It is the board and Waldrum who must do the right things for the non-profit’s operations, for the employees and the patients.

The reality is that without that “profit” many of those the system serves in the poorest region of the state will go without any care at all.

Robert Broome, the executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, is leading the personal attacks on Waldrum. The members of his association should expect better. Strong advocacy and disagreements are one thing. But the personal attacks are distractions and will do more harm than good toward resolving the very contentious concerns.

This negotiation isn’t a political game. It is about the economic ability of hospital health care providers to remain economically viable to deliver services. They are showing that they won’t bend to bullying tactics.

Engaging in a bitter and personal attack campaign and issuing toothless take-it-or-leave-it ultimatums simply makes matters worse. Take down the “million-dollar-mike” website. Get rid of the mean-spirited attack video.

Folwell and the hospital systems need, now, to sit together and work out a program that provides economic stability for the providers and a cost-effective plan for state workers, their dependents and retirees.

There will be plenty of time for campaigning in 2020. Folwell needs to work now with hospitals to find a resolution so he’ll have something positive to run on when the time comes.

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