• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Care4Carolina

Care4Carolina

Expanding access. Enhancing prosperity.

  • About
    • Overview
    • Member Organizations
    • Steering Committee
    • Business Advisory Council
    • Business Leader & Business Owner Supporters
    • Civic Leaders
    • Faith Community & Leaders
  • Updates
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Submit Event to the Community Calendar
  • Resources
    • Browse All Resources
    • In the News
  • Map
  • Act Now
  • Donate

Sign as a Business Leader

As a North Carolina business leader, I endorse the following statement:

We, as North Carolina business leaders, understand that a strong economy and a thriving workforce require healthy families. Right now, too many hard-working families are uninsured. In fact, about two-thirds of all uninsured adults in North Carolina work. They are construction workers, farmers, child care providers, and even veterans. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to achieve a bi-partisan solution to close the health insurance coverage gap. Now is the time to act. There are proposals on the table that would require no investment of state tax dollars and closing the gap would create an estimated 37,000 jobs and billions in economic activity. Much of this economic activity would benefit our rural communities and other areas most in need of an economic boost. Closing the health insurance coverage gap is a good deal for the health of North Carolina families and for our economy. We urge you to work together and achieve a policy solution that closes the health insurance coverage gap.

Business Leaders for Closing the Coverage Gap

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements listings or ads. Employer affiliation will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Mr./Ms./Mrs. John Doe, CEO, ABC Corporation*; Anytown, NC”.

  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will be published
  • Will be published
  • Only your CITY will be published. All other address information will NOT be published or shared.
  • Will not be published.
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as an Individual

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as an Organization

  • Will be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Civic Leader

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Faith Community

Faith Leaders Addendum

As a North Carolina faith leader/ community of faith, I/we endorse the following statement:

We, as people of faith in North Carolina, believe that the Lord brings good news to the poor, binds up the broken-hearted, and comforts all those who mourn. We believe that when we work to ease the burdens of our neighbors who are struggling the most, we are caring for God. And, we believe we are called to follow our God by doing good, not only in the halls of our congregations, but by seeking justice in the wider world.

That means we cannot stand silent when presented with the opportunity to provide healthcare coverage for hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters. We understand that a community cannot flourish while its people lack access to affordable, quality healthcare. Healthy families are the bedrock of our communities of faith and of our local economies. Uninsured North Carolinians include members of our congregations, pastors, child care providers, farmers, construction workers, small business owners, neighbors, and friends. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to work together across bi-partisan lines to close the health insurance coverage gap for all of these children of God.

Signing Disclosure

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements, listings, or ads. Employer information will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Rev. John Doe, Pastor, ABC Church, Anytown, NC.”

  • Will be published
  • Will be published if signing as individual
  • Will be published if signing as individual
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign as a Grassroots Group

As legislation progresses to enact a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap, it is critical that we have a grassroots team ready to mobilize. By signing up as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, you agree to activate your group/organization when action is requested during the campaign. Action requests may include but are not limited to reaching out to legislators, sharing posts on social media, and relaying information to other contacts.

Your work as a grassroots group/organization is essential to our efforts, and Care4Carolina appreciates your support in ensuring that our mission is achieved. Together, we will find a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap.

*By signing on as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, your group/organization’s information will not be shared externally. The information collected through this form is for internal use only.

  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • Will not be published
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Lessons from Louisiana: How Closing the Gap Bolsters Disaster Response

September 14, 2021 by Katie Horneffer Leave a Comment

By Katie Horneffer, Intern, Care4Carolina

In North Carolina, September means peak hurricane season. In the past two decades, twenty-six recorded hurricanes have affected our state during the month of September, more than double any other month. As one of the most vulnerable states in the US, all regions of North Carolina have suffered the effects of hurricanes. And while Hurricane Ida may not have hit our coastline, we are no stranger to the recovery experience and importance of access to healthcare after a devastating storm.

The recent damage in Louisiana is catastrophic, leading many to compare Ida to Hurricane Katrina, which hit the state in 2005. Yet the state is much better prepared to respond to the impacts of this disaster than it was to Katrina. Because Louisiana closed its health insurance coverage gap in 2016, its low-income residents will be able to seek care for injuries, illnesses, and other health problems in the aftermath of the hurricane without worrying about how to pay for it. But North Carolina has still not closed its coverage gap and, as a result, does not have the same capacity as Louisiana to respond to the health needs of its residents after a natural disaster.

Natural disasters can lead to a host of health problems. The most obvious one is serious injury: after Hurricane Irene hit North Carolina in 2011, the most affected regions saw a 45% increase in injury-related emergency department visits. But there can also be longer-term impacts. Respiratory illnesses increase in the months following a hurricane, likely due to mold growth in flooded buildings. Natural disasters can make it harder for people to manage chronic health conditions. They can also lead to an increase in infections: skin and gastrointestinal infections can spread through floodwaters, while overcrowded shelters can lead to outbreaks of illnesses like COVID-19 or flu. And flooding can lead to the spread of toxic environmental contaminants. After Hurricane Florence in 2018, researchers found dangerous levels of cancer-causing chemicals in North Carolina’s soil.

Mental health, too, can suffer after a natural disaster. Hurricane survivors experience higher rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, which can last months or years after the disaster. Ten months after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, 31% of survivors reported a new mental health problem, but only 8% were receiving mental health services, with cost cited as the main barrier.

Natural disasters can also lead to job loss and economic hardship. Restaurants, hotels, and construction sites may close due to damage, while farmers’ crops may be destroyed in floods. In the week following Hurricane Florence, North Carolina unemployment claims quintupled. Yet because North Carolina hasn’t closed its coverage gap, many of those who lose their income during an emergency can’t access affordable health insurance.

Since Louisiana has closed its health insurance coverage gap, it’s better equipped to provide needed health services to its residents during and after Ida. With insurance, survivors of Ida will be able to access they care they need for injuries, illnesses, and mental health concerns that resulted from the storm—both now and in the future. After evacuating their homes and watching their property get destroyed, Louisianans will—at the very least—not have to face an added hurdle of figuring out how to pay for healthcare.

North Carolina may have been spared from this hurricane, but we know that won’t always be the case. We need to ensure that all North Carolinians can access needed healthcare in case of an emergency. By closing our coverage gap now, we’ll bolster our state’s capacity to respond to health needs in the aftermath of future disasters.

Category iconWeekly Blog Tag iconCoverage Gap,  Disaster Response,  Hurricanes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Care4Carolina

Footer

Contact

5001 S Miami Blvd
Suite 300
Durham, NC 27703
Email: info@care4carolina.com

Key Links

  • About
  • Updates
  • Resources
  • News Articles

Act Now

Care4Carolina believes that access to quality, affordable health care helps build a healthier, stronger North Carolina.

Act Now

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 Care4Carolina · All Rights Reserved

Website by Tomatillo Design