MORRISVILLE (February 25, 2019) The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) will follow up the inaugural year of the Legislative Health Policy Fellows Program with two Health Policy Briefings for legislative aides and General Assembly staff agencies. The Briefings will provide staff with resources and data to assist constituents in accessing health and human services and to inform health policy advising and decision-making.
North Carolina allocates over 30% of the state’s budget toward health-related services. Given the large portion of the state budget dedicated to health care, decisions regarding health policy have tremendous impact on North Carolina’s economy and the health of communities across the state. These decisions are among the most important responsibilities of the General Assembly.
Over the course of the two Briefings, to be held in February and April, staff will learn about navigating state and county health and human services, structure and financing of public and private insurance, and several of the most pressing health issues facing North Carolina. These issues include Medicaid transformation, end of life care, mental health, substance use, and rural health. Staff will also have the opportunity to talk about the pressing health and health policy issues they see in their districts and discuss how state researchers and experts can connect with the General Assembly on these issues.
“The most exciting thing for NCIOM and state experts is the opportunity to share data and resources, and to connect legislative staff with information that will help them to better serve their districts,” said Adam Zolotor, president and CEO of the NCIOM.
The Legislative Health Policy Fellows Program is funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, Cone Health Foundation, Commonwealth Fund and The Duke Endowment.
The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina’s population. For more information, visit www.nciom.org.
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