Today’s NC Political News briefs
Election officials meet on statewide voting rules, while recent state actions address health coverage and Medicaid fraud.
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina election officials are scheduled to consider statewide voting and campaign finance rules Thursday, while recent state actions involve public employee health coverage and Medicaid fraud enforcement.
State Board holds absentee-ballot hearing
The State Board of Elections scheduled a public hearing for 9 a.m. Thursday on proposed rules governing deficiencies in returned absentee ballots.
The hearing was rescheduled after technical problems affected the recording of a previous hearing. The public comment period for the proposed absentee rules also ends Thursday.
Elections board considers statewide rules
The State Board of Elections is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday.
The tentative agenda includes possible adoption of rules involving recounts, photo identification and voting sites. The board is also scheduled to consider a permanent campaign finance rule involving exempt sales plans.
Other agenda items include campaign finance penalty waivers, county board appointments, complaints involving county election board members and updated guidance for county boards.
Source: https://www.ncsbe.gov/news/press-releases/2026/07/13/state-board-meeting-july-16-2026
Prison oversight meeting canceled
The General Assembly’s Governmental Operations Subcommittee on Prisons meeting scheduled for Thursday has been canceled.
The legislative calendar lists the committee’s next meeting for July 27, the same day the House and Senate are scheduled to return.
Source: https://www.ncleg.gov/legislativecalendar/
State Health Plan approves 2027 changes
The State Health Plan Board of Trustees has approved 2027 premiums, benefit changes and a new tiered provider network.
The board awarded third-party administrative and pharmacy benefit management contracts to Blue Cross NC beginning in 2028. It also approved Preferred Provider agreements with UNC Health and Novant Health for 2027.
Active employees will see monthly premium increases ranging from less than $2 to about $8 for individual coverage and from less than $29 to $42 for family coverage, according to the treasurer’s office.
Medicaid fraud detected through claims review
A Greensboro health care clinic owner pleaded guilty to health care fraud after state investigators identified irregularities in Medicaid claims data.
The Department of Justice said Gwendolyn Singleton’s business submitted more than $1.7 million in fraudulent urine drug-testing claims between June 2021 and March 2023.
Singleton has not been sentenced. She faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, supervised release and monetary penalties.
