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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”.

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Sign as a Civic Leader

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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.”

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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.

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Medicaid Expansion could Reduce the Harms of Tobacco Use in NC

May 9, 2022 by Hannah Robinson Leave a Comment

By North Carolinians for a Tobacco Free Generation

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to smoking and tobacco use in NC.

First the bad news: Over 19,000 North Carolinians die from cancer each year and 30.5% of these cancer deaths are attributed to tobacco use. Thankfully, many people want to quit using tobacco products, including 68% of adults who smoke cigarettes. Having access to evidence-based tobacco treatment, including cessation medications and behavioral treatment increase a person’s likelihood of quitting. However, without health insurance, uninsured people may face more barriers to treatment and lack the support that could help them quit.   

The good news, is that Medicaid Expansion in our state could initially reduce smoking prevalence, ultimately reducing preventable death and disease in North Carolina. For example, when Medicaid coverage that included a tobacco cessation benefit was introduced in Massachusetts, it reduced the prevalence of smoking and there were increases in successful quit attempts in the state. Another study found that people on Medicaid who smoke were more likely to have made a past-year quit attempt than uninsured individuals. That is why North Carolinians for a Tobacco Free Generation support Care4Carolina’s goal to expand Medicaid in North Carolina with expanded coverage of tobacco-cessation services. We believe there should be fewer barriers to cessation support and that everyone should have access to evidence-based tobacco treatment in NC.

Having access to cessation services is particularly important for cancer survivors. If a cancer survivor continues to smoke, their risk of having cancer reoccur increases, treatment effectiveness is reduced, and their quality of life decreases. Research has shown that expanding Medicaid helps support cancer survivors; a recently published study among cancer survivors seen in community health centers shows that the probability of quitting smoking is lower in non-expansion states than among cancer survivors in expansion states.  In this study among cancer survivors seen in community health centers, patients in expansion states were more likely to have a smoking cessation medication order and to have more than 6 office visits to their doctor when compared to cancer survivors in non-expansion states.

In addition to cancer, smoking is a significant risk factor for heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, diabetes, and asthma. Currently, tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of early death and disease in NC and the US. Expanding Medicaid with tobacco cessation benefits in NC can help increase the integration of cessation care into primary care and behavioral health care.  It can also increase referrals to support systems including NC’s Quitline, and the use of effective tobacco treatment medications. These efforts will address and prevent tobacco use in our state and reduce the harms associated with prolonged use and exposure (i.e. secondhand smoke.)

If we want more good news when it comes to helping North Carolinians lead tobacco-free lives, we need to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, high quality health care and can access cessation services no matter which NC community they live in.

Closing the Medicaid coverage gap is a triple win: 

1) It will help smokers quit and prevent many cancers from occurring in the first place;

2) Coverage will help to identify cancers earlier when they are treatable and improve cancer outcomes by 60%;

3) Coverage will help cancer survivors who are still smokers to get the care they need to quit smoking. 

About us: North Carolinians for a Tobacco-Free Generation (NCTFG) is a partnership between the NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, UNC Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program and the North Carolina Alliance for Health. NCTFG aims to educate the public and decision-makers on the harms of tobacco and secondhand smoke as well as effective policies and programs to reduce tobacco’s harm.

 Follow us! We are @TobaccofreeNC on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and  Instagram

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