Cooperative Extension With Michael Ellington: What Extension Does
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TownTalk: Folwell Discusses Third Party Administration For Health Insurance
As this state’s treasurer, Dale Folwell is the steward of public funds eight times the size of the overall state budget – and that’s only half of what his department oversees.
Folwell has been leading the charge to transition to make Aetna the company that processes insurance claims, replacing Blue Cross NC. This change will take place beginning January 2025.
Folwell will kick off a promotional bus tour across the state to coincide with the upcoming open enrollment period, when individuals typically have the option to make changes in their plans.
The transition does affect members in the Base PPO Plan, Enhanced PPO Plan and High Deductible Health Plan. It does NOT affect Humana Medicare Advantage Plan members.
Health care and retirement are uppermost on the minds of most state employees – “those who teach, protect and otherwise serve,” Folwell said on Monday’s TownTalk.
Think of the transition from one third-party administrator to another like a car, he said:
The car’s body hasn’t changed – individuals will continue to make copayments, etc. to receive care. The engine hasn’t changed – that’s how the state funds the insurance plans. It’s the transmission – how the state settles claims – that will be undergoing the change.
It’s important to remember that Aetna is NOT the insurance provider, Folwell emphasized.
As a TPA, Aetna’s job is to process claims and make sure they’re correct before presenting them for payment.
We’ve always been self-funded, and Aetna, like Blue Cross NC, is simply a “transmitter” to make sure the billing and payment process is smooth and efficient.
If you’ve ever gotten a bill for a doctor visit or medical procedure and have had questions about what you actually owe and what will be covered by insurance, you’re not alone.
Those involved in the transition to Aetna will have to choose a new primary care provider, but Folwell said he’s confident that they’ll be able to keep their current provider without a problem.
“If people are getting the right primary care, and occasionally any physical therapy they may need,” Folwell said, it will help keep people out of hospitals, which is the ultimate goal.
“I continue to think that people are being gouged on health care pricing as well as prescription drug pricing” in North Carolina, Folwell said.
There’s lots going on in health care, he continued. “It’ sad (people) can’t consume health care – it consumes them.”
When people have a higher fear of the bill than the procedure itself, it should be a cause for concern, he said. And action.
Medical bills can be confusing, to the point that you can’t tell if they had a tonsillectomy or an appendectomy.
But it all comes down to paying for the medical care that you get, and Folwell said his department will partner with any hospital interested in transparent health care, high-quality access at a reasonable cost.
The road tour, featuring Aetna-themed vehicles, will kick off in Raleigh at the Department of State Treasurer’s office later this week on Thursday July 25, then will be at the N.C. General Assembly on Aug. 22.
The tour coincides with the Plan’s 2025 Open Enrollment period, which runs from Sept. 30 through Oct. 25.
The Plan and Aetna are ready to meet people in person during the tour, online or by telephone. For those unable to come out in person, the Plan will also be offering numerous webinars and Telephone Town Halls containing the same information as in-person events.
Learn more at https://www.shpnc.org/
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The Local Skinny! Chase Results In Arrest Of Local Man
-Press release from the office of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame
On Friday, July 19 at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Vance County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Granville County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in locating a wanted person, who has outstanding warrants for Felony Flee to Elude, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon on Government Official.
The wanted person was identified as Kevin Lassiter, 44. Lassiter was believed to be operating a black in color Kia Sorento in the Dabney area of Vance County.
Investigators with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office searched the area and located Lassiter on Nutbush Road in a gravel parking lot in the driver’s seat of the Kia Sorento.
Lassiter was approached by deputies at which point he put the vehicle in reverse and hit a marked Vance County Sheriff’s Office K9 patrol vehicle. Lassiter was able to get out of the lot and led Deputies on a vehicle chase. The chase went in the direction of Kerr Lake. After entering the Kerr Lake Recreation Area, Lassiter collided with a parked truck and boat trailer. The chase continued across Vance County through the Dabney, Watkins and Bearpond communities with speeds averaging between 60 and 70 miles per hour.
Multiple attempts to deploy tire deflation devices were conducted by law enforcement but were unsuccessful. The chase ended on Gillburg Road after a successful PIT maneuver. As a result of the PIT maneuver, the vehicle crashed. Lassiter was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to Maria Parham Hospital with minor injuries. Lassiter was ultimately transported to the Vance County Magistrates Office where he was served with the outstanding warrants from Granville County and additional charges from Vance County.
Lassiter was held without bond for the new charges of:
- 4 counts of AWDW on Government Official
- Felony Flee to Elude with a Motor Vehicle
- Resisting Public Officer
- 2 counts of Injury to Personal Property
Lassiter also charged with DWI by the North Carolina Highway Patrol, as well as multiple charges by the N.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.
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WIZS Radio Henderson Local News 07-22-24 Noon
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WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Thinning Pines.
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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Donate Children’s Books To Contribute To 2024 Leadership Vance Class Project
The 2024 Leadership Vance class invites the community to pitch in to help make their class project a success by donating children’s books that will be used to stock “Little Library” boxes at Fox Pond Park.
Please donate new or gently used children’s books and drop them off at any of several locations across Henderson, according to information from Tanya Wilson with the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce.
Donation boxes can be found at Fire Station #1 on Dabney Drive, City Hall, 134 Rose Ave. or the Chamber office, 414 S. Garnett St.
The concept of placing small boxes throughout the community and filling them with books that individuals can take free of charge has been around since 2009, and increases access to books and encourages people to take a book to read or place a book for others to enjoy.
KTCOG Hosting Family Caregiver Conference Aug. 6; Focus On Dementia Care
The Kerr Tar Family Caregiver Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6 and registration is now open for family caregivers and professionals who are interested in learning about caring for individuals with dementia.
The half-day conference begins at 9 a.m. with check-in, breakfast and networking at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center Auditorium.
The conference is presented by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina. Melanie Bunn, a registered nurse and dementia care specialist with the alliance, is one of the speakers along with Michael Patterson, KTCOG’s family caregiver specialist.
Family caregivers can register for $10; professional caregivers register for $25 and have the opportunity to earn three continuing education unit credits.
Visit www.DementiaNC.org/2024Henderson to register online or contact Lisa Levine at 919.832.3732 to register by phone. Walk-in registrations are welcome on the day of the conference.
Visit www.kerrtarcog.org to find out about all the programs and services the KTCOG provides across Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties.
Franklin County Plans To Add High-Speed Internet To 2,374 More Locations
- Information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III
More than 2,300 locations in Franklin County will be added to the growing list of places getting high speed broadband internet access.
Through new Completing Access to Broadband grant funding, Brightspeed – formerly CenturyLink and Lumen – will begin deploying high speed fiber-to-the-home internet to 2,374 locations. Earlier this month, the N.C. Dept. of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity announced a $5.6 million award to the county. In April, the county agreed to spend $2 million in ARPA funds to match the funding requirements.
The final county match comes to $1,962,728.95, according to Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III. Once completed, in October 2026, about 50 percent of the eligible locations in the county will have the high-speed capability.
“I fully support this overwhelmingly. We have got to get this service out to the underserved parts of the County,” Board of Commissioners Chair Harry Foy said. “Everybody needs internet like electricity, water and sewer. You have got to have it.”
Franklin County has benefited from broadband grant funding in the past several years. Two previous awards under the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) allowed Brightspeed to deploy fiber to more than 3,400 locations in Franklin County.
A map identifying the areas awarded under the CAB program can be found on the county’s website where information on the county’s broadband efforts can also be found.
The CAB program provides an opportunity for individual N.C. counties to partner with NCDIT to fund broadband deployment projects in unserved areas of each county. N.C. Session Law 2021-180 appropriated $400 million from ARPA for this program. NCDIT awarded CAB grant funds to connect nearly 26,000 households and businesses in 19 counties to high-speed internet.
Men’s Shelter Hits Snag; Move-In Day Delayed
Move-in day at the new City Road Center for Hope men’s shelter has been delayed while a few issues with final inspections are resolved, but shelter officials have said they hope all will be addressed in as timely a manner as possible and the shelter can become fully operational.
“In spite of all of our efforts to build a safe ADA compliant structure for our men’s shelter, we have hit a snag with the fire inspection and are in negotiations now to find a solution and get things resolved as quickly as possible,” according to an email sent Thursday to WIZS by shelter staff.
The shelter is almost ready, and as soon as the final certificate of occupancy is received, the move will take place. “We ask for your prayers for a speedy resolution.”
No matter where the physical shelter is located, however, there remains a need for meals, individually wrapped snacks for clients and supplies like laundry detergent pods.
The shelter snack shelves could really use some PopTarts, breakfast bars, peanut butter crackers and chips.
Please sign up HERE if you or your organization can help provide a meal. Call 252.432.9494 if you need assistance in signing up.
Stay up to date at www.cp-hope.org
Officials Monitoring Possible NC Impact Following July 6 South Hill Fire
UPDATED July 19, 1:30 p.m.
information from the office of Interim Warren County Manager Crystal Smith
The Virginia Department of Health is lifting portions of the recreational water and fish consumption advisories issued in response to the July 6 chemical storage facility fire in South Hill. The portion of the advisory being lifted is for a section of the Meherrin River that starts at Route 138 (Union Mill Road) flowing Southeast through the Town of Lawrenceville and the City of Emporia to the North Carolina state line.
The advisory is being lifted for this section of river because the presence of chemicals is no longer at levels that pose a health risk, according to information from the office of Interim Warren County Manager Crystal Smith. The concentrations of chemicals in the waterways have diluted due to recent rainfall as it has traveled downstream. Advisories still remain in place for Mountain Creek, Dockery Creek, Roanoke River to Lake Gaston.
For additional updates visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/2024-regional-news-releases/vdh-lifts-portion-of-recreational-water-fish-consumption-advisories-for-meherrin-river/
Warren County Health Department and Emergency Management are participating in daily briefings with state and local officials from Virginia and North Carolina and will continue to monitor this incident and provide relevant updates as they become available.
information courtesy of Warren County and N.C. Dept. of Environmental Quality
The Warren County Health Department continues to monitor the possible downstream effects of the July 6 fire at a chemical storage facility in South Hill, VA.
The warehouse held a large quantity of agricultural chemicals, and runoff from the firefighting efforts has entered several water systems in southern Virginia, including the Meherrin River from its confluence with Mountain Creek, and the Miles and Dockery Creeks, upstream of the Roanoke River.
At this time, there is no immediate danger to the North Carolina public or to those near Lake Gaston. There is no timeline, however, on when – or if – contaminants will reach Lake Gaston or North Carolina in measurable concentrations.
The Virginia Department of Health has issued a recreational swimming and fish consumption advisory until further notice for surface waters, including the Meherrin and Roanoke rivers, that extend to the North Carolina-Virginia border and local health officials have been in contact with the appropriate local, North Carolina and Virginia authorities monitoring the progress of this event for any potential impact to Warren County, according to information from the office of Interim County Manager Crystal Smith.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality are testing the affected waterways routinely and reporting those results to WCHD and partner agencies, Smith said in a press release.
Virginia DEQ reports that the chemical plume is moving slowly, and that as of July 15, 2024, there is no indication that the chemical plume has made its way to Lake Gaston or any other waterway in Warren County.
The N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services has recommended that local health departments in the impacted areas issue recreational water advisories mirroring those in Virginia. The need for and timing of those advisories will depend on available data. NCDEQ is monitoring for potential impacts, staff plan to conduct additional water sampling once the wastewaters are believed to reach North Carolina waterbodies. If you discover any water sheens, odors, discolored vegetation or dead wildlife in the potentially impacted areas, please contact your NCDEQ regional office, or call 1.877.623.6748. Fish kill activity can also be reported on the NCDEQ website.
NCDHHS is working with officials in Virginia to determine what the potential health impacts could be from this incident. This information will inform any future protective actions that may be needed in North Carolina.
The NC DHHS Communicable Disease Branch has begun syndromic surveillance of Warren, Halifax, and Northampton County hospitals. This effort, mirroring Virginia’s Department of Health, is focusing on tracking symptoms including eye and skin irritation, allergic skin reactions, drowsiness or dizziness, respiratory irritation, nausea, and loss of consciousness reported in emergency departments.
Anyone who has been in the affected waterways and is experiencing these symptoms is asked to seek medical care and notify their practitioners of the waterbody exposure.
If you notice any plumes, sheens or fish kills in these waterways avoid contact with these waters and report these conditions to 1.877.623.6748.
Warren County Health Department will continue to update citizens as the incident progresses.
For more information related to the incident, please visit www.deq.virginia.gov.
Fish consumption and recreation advisories have been issued for Dockery Creek and Miles Creek to its confluence with the Roanoke River and Lake Gaston, as well as the Meherrin River to the North Carolina state line.
North Carolina updates will be posted to a NCDEQ website located here.
VADEQ has established a website with information on their response located on their website here.