State health plan Coverage

State health plan likely headed for red ink without bailout, analysts say

The North Carolina State Health Plan is poised to lose nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in 2025. State Treasurer Dale Folwell is hoping state lawmakers will bail it out by paying it back for Covid-19 care and related expenses.

Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief

US Senate committee investigates weight-loss drug costs as NC negotiates with manufacturer

A U.S. Senate committee is investigating the prices that Novo Nordisk charges for its blockbuster medications, Ozempic and Wegovy. North Carolina officials, who canceled coverage of the drugs over costs, are trying to negotiate lower prices with the drug maker.

Dani Blum, New York Times

State Health Plan ask for public's help in lowering cost of weight-loss drugs

Officials for the state government, and drugmakers including Novo Nordisk, have shot down each others' offers to negotiate on weight-loss drug coverage since state workers and their families lost coverage.

Jack Hagel, WRAL News

Weight-loss drug coverage ends for state employees. NC treasurer says negotiations ongoing with drugmakers

State Treasurer Dale Folwell says he and other State Health Plan leaders have been trying to reach a better financial deal with the companies who make the drugs such as Wegovy. The talks have gone nowhere, he says.

Will Doran, WRAL state government reporter

Multi-billion legal fight over state health plan to play out for next two weeks

For the next two weeks, a multi-billion-dollar legal fight will play out over control of the state health plan. The outcome will affect health insurance for more than 700,000 North Carolina teachers, state workers and their families.

Who should provide health care for North Carolina state workers? Trial kicks off over multibillion-dollar dispute

A trial between Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and the North Carolina State Health Plan is expected to decide who should be in charge of providing health care to hundreds of thousands of state workers, and therefore how much insurance might cost for them in the future.

Will Doran, WRAL state government reporter

DRAUGHON DRAWS: N.C. Health Plan shedding some excess??

Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

NC state health plan will no longer cover weight loss drugs

The state health plan's governing board voted Thursday to phase out coverage of existing prescriptions for Wegovy and other GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss as of April 1, 2024.

NC state health plan votes to end all coverage for Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs

The state health plan's governing board voted Thursday to phase out coverage of existing prescriptions for Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs as of April 1.

Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief

Loss of drug rebate costs North Carolina State Health Plan

The state health plan stopped covering new prescriptions for weight-loss drugs to save money. That move will cost the state $54 million because of the terms of a drugmaker's contract.

Cutting weight-loss drug costs comes at high price for NC health plan

The state health plan stopped covering new prescriptions for weight-loss drugs to save money. That move will cost the state $54 million because of the terms of a drugmaker's contract.

Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief

State health plan cuts coverage for weight-loss drugs for new users

As of Jan. 1, new users of a specific class of drugs used for weight loss will have to pay for them out of their own pocket.

State health plan cuts coverage for weight-loss drugs, citing high costs

As of Jan. 1, new users of a specific class of drugs used for weight loss will have to pay for them out of their own pocket.

Destinee Patterson, WRAL reporter

State Health Plan considers cutting weight loss drug coverage for state employees, retirees

The board overseeing the North Carolina State Health Plan is mulling whether to drop coverage for weight loss drugs that have exploded in popularity in recent years.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

Aetna meeting with state employees as State Health Plan contract fight, transition, continues

Aetna is slated to take over a multi-billion-dollar contract to run the NC State Health Plan for employees in 2025.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

Transgender NC employees argue state health plan denies them necessary care

A lawsuit by former state employees and their children said they were denied coverage under the North Carolina State Health Plan.

Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

Fourth Circuit hears appeal on transgender health care violation

A lawsuit by former state employees and their children said they were denied coverage under the North Carolina State Health Plan.

State Health Plan rejects contract protests as Blue Cross promises to 'pursue efforts'

A shift in health insurance administrators serving North Carolina state employees is planned for 2025, but companies that lost out on the multibillion-dollar contract may not be finished fighting the decision.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

Blue Cross files protest over multibillion-dollar state health plan contract

NC plans to swap Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for Aetna in 2025. Blue Cross is appealing that decision -- a process that could take months, or even years, to finalize.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

Changes possible for NC employees' health plan

Changes may be coming in the next few years for state employees on the State Health Plan. For the first time in decades, a multi-billion-dollar contract to manage the plan is changing hands.

Concerns grow about health insurance changes coming for state employees

State employees will have to wait a little while to learn how a big state contract change will impact their health plans. The change doesn't take effect until 2025.

NC treasurer hopes to cut family health premiums for state employees as contract shifts

State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who answered reporters' questions about a plan to switch the North Carolina State Health Plan management contract from BlueCross to Aetna, says he hopes to cut costs for state employees.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

Health insurance changes coming for state employees as multibillion-dollar state contract shifts

State Treasurer Dale Folwell said Wednesday that Aetna beat out Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to manage the state health plan starting in 2025. BlueCross says it will appeal the decision.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

State treasurer presses again on health cost transparency

The fight continues over a trove of data the State Health Plan for government employees and teachers wants to negotiate prices.

Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter

Group drops $35,000 on Facebook ads, targets Cooper for decision he didn't make

A group registered in Georgia is "fundamentally misleading people," according to the N.C. State Treasurer's Office.

Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter