Newsroom
September 11, 2020
The results of a new poll released this week reveal growing support across party lines for closing North Carolina’s health care coverage gap.
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September 8, 2020
A coalition of organizations from across the state held a virtual forum Sept. 2 calling for Medicaid expansion as North Carolinians grapple with a loss of health care coverage due to unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Tens of thousands of state residents have fallen into the "coverage gap" due to COVID-19, worsening an already concerning issue, according to Care4Carolina, a group advocating for affordable health care in the state.
The gap includes those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to get help through the private insurance marketplace.
North Carolina is among 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid. Prior to COVID-19, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that if it did, more than 400,000 residents would gain health insurance. Care4Carolina says about 178,000 more North Carolinians are living in the gap since COVID-19 hit.
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August 25, 2020
With its roots having formed in the 19th century, the Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation (WCMSF) has been a stronghold in the community, serving to improve access to healthcare, fight health inequities and promote wellness in Western North Carolina. The WCMSF is a group of physicians and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to connect low-income, uninsured patients with free or low-cost comprehensive medical care.
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August 19, 2019
The Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation--in collaboration with Digestive Health Partners (DHP)-- has been awarded a Colon Cancer Coalition (CCC) grant to expand the Western North Carolina Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiative (WNC-CRCSI) across 5 counties.
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September 12, 2018
In the midst of change in our medical communities, there are always new opportunities to help patients become healthier. In addition to access to care for the underserved and uninsured, there has been an ever increasing interest and focus on the social determinants of health.
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May 3, 2018
You can be part of a young, progressive group committed to community service, health parity, academic excellence, and the transformation of healthcare in Western North Carolina.
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March 1, 2018
WCMS's WIN was quoted in a Medscape article on working with interpreters.
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February 7, 2018
“We are excited that Project Access® has expanded into Madison County and appreciate all the physicians participating in Project Access®,” said Dr. Susan McDowell, a family medicine physician at Hot Springs Medical Center.
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January 31, 2018
CareNet Counseling in McDowell County received $8,720 from WCMS Foundation's Endowment Fund (as part of a $20,000 Community Foundation of WNC People in Need Grant) to support community-based, professional mental health counseling for the residents of McDowell Country, regardless of ability to pay.
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May 31, 2017
"Regardless of one’s political stance for or against certain immigration policies, we believe there are basic rules of decency that apply to everyone in the United States, whether they are citizens, green card holders, immigrants with refugee status, undocumented immigrants, tourist visa holders, or any other status. This is particularly true in health care settings where people are in need of a safe place to heal from illness."
C. Britt Peterson, MD
2017 WCMS Foundation Chair
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June 20, 2016
Approximately 25 million people in the United States are defined as being Limited English Proficient or LEP. A LEP person cannot speak, read, write, or understand the English language at a level that permits them to interact effectively with English speakers. Hospital administrators often feel burdened by the expense of culturally and linguistically appropriate services. The perception is that these services are an empty cost for hospitals. However, the truth is that it actually saves them money. How? It reduces waste represented by overtreatment and medical errors.
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April 29, 2016
WCMS is proud to be collaborating with Buncombe County DHHS on Pop-Up Markets! WCMS Interpreter Network (WIN) will be working with Rasheeda McDaniels with Buncombe County DHHS to determine which Pop-Ups will best benefit from interpreter services.
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April 29, 2016
Project PROMISE is a local program that recruits motivated rural high school students with authentic interest in healthcare and supports them by providing exposure and mentorship in the medical field.
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March 23, 2016
Hearst Health, a division of Hearst, and the Jefferson College of Population Health of Thomas Jefferson University, announced on March 8 that Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) in Raleigh is the winner of the inaugural Hearst Health Prize, a $100,000 award given in recognition of outstanding achievement in managing or improving health. The announcement was made by Gregory Dorn, MD, MPH, president of Hearst Health, and David B. Nash, MD, MBA, dean of the Jefferson College of Population Health, at the 16th annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia.
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October 26, 2015
November 19th is National Rural Health Day. Help WCMS celebrate our rural health care providers—thank a rural doctor today!
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