All tagged op-ed
In August 2024, NC Medicaid announced that it would begin covering anti-obesity medications (AOMs) for the treatment of obesity. As one of the states hardest hit by the obesity epidemic, the decision to cover AOMs was a major step in the right direction as the state looks to better treat obesity.
Congress and the Trump Administration have a rare opportunity achieve government reforms that would eliminate waste, promote public health, and give adults who smoke in North Carolina and across the country new avenues to leave cigarettes behind for good: Establish an efficient, workable pathway for less harmful alternatives to cigarettes to be legally sold in the U.S.
Over my 24 years living in Mooresville, I've come to recognize it takes people and businesses with diverse backgrounds, skills, products and services to succeed. From our supportive neighbors to our hardworking local businesses, they all depend on strong community institutions that understand their needs and invest in their success.
As the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, fall prevention practices are a top priority for physical therapists across the country. Falls are expensive and painful but also debilitating and can even lead to death. If we do not provide proper preventative care for our older populations, the number of both fatal and nonfatal falls is set to climb as a higher percent of our population reaching 65+.
As a conservative, former business owner, and former Cabarrus County Commissioner I take the fiscal stewardship of taxpayers’ dollars very seriously. Having the experiences of serving my fellow citizens and running a business, I know that it’s impossible to continually spend money without regard to the consequences of debt.
Tens of thousands of new small businesses open every year in the Tar Heel state. The North Carolinians behind these businesses embody the American Dream.
Obesity rates are skyrocketing in our nation. In the last two decades, obesity has doubled among American adults. Despite the growing consensus and greater understanding of the disease, many people continue to view obesity as a lifestyle choice or personal failure. It’s important to understand that for many Americans, obesity is not a choice. It’s a chronic disease that affects every layer of a patient’s life.
Nowadays, it’s easy for important information on key issues to get lost. That’s why I am glad that Senator Michael Lazzara took the time to highlight the significance of rescheduling cannabis in his op-ed, “Rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.” With growing evidence that cannabis has many therapeutic benefits, we cannot ignore the reality that cannabis-based treatments work.
Although the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tried to address the high cost of prescription drugs, this Forbes article rightly points out the unintended consequences of its "pill penalty.” In the short term, this pill penalty raises the cost of prescription tablets and capsules; in the long term, it stifles important pharmaceutical innovation and research into convenient, easy-to-use pills.
For those who followed abuses by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) under President Joe Biden, the first few weeks of the second Trump Administration have been a revelation. From President Trump’s day one decision to freeze rulemaking, to the recent decision to replace Biden-era CFPB director Rohit Chopra, President Trump has lived up to his title as a pro-business and pro-deregulation leader.
The devastation brought by Hurricane Helene to western North Carolina has left communities grappling with significant loss and upheaval. As we witness the aftermath, one thing is clear: the path to recovery will require time, commitment, and considerable resources.
On November 5th, voters in three states rejected private school voucher measures on their ballots. A majority (58 percent) of voters in Nebraska chose to repeal a recently passed voucher law
North Carolina’s Medicare enrollees are feeling the squeeze after the Democrats’ promises of reduced Medicare costs and better health care go unfulfilled. Over two years ago, the Biden-Harris administration introduced the “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA) despite strong and unified GOP resistance. The left stood confidently behind the Biden-Harris Administration’s initiatives, despite rising costs and empty promises.
Inflation has left many North Carolinian families to make difficult short-term spending decisions, but what about long-term financial planning, like retirement?
“This product has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.” That endorsement should be the gold standard by which consumers make smart choices about the medications they use and products they trust. Unfortunately, each year the FDA lets many severely defective drugs and products slip though.
It is hard enough to manage the high out-of-pocket expenses that come with the prescription medications I rely on without having to worry about greedy insurers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers using every trick in the book to boost their profits at the expense of patient access and affordability.
Supplemental oxygen therapy patients and providers in North Carolina and throughout the country are anxiously awaiting guidance and action from the federal Medicare program as the Public Health Emergency (PHE) connected to the COVID-19 pandemic is set to end on May 11.
The North Carolina economy is second to none for small businesses, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Growing up and proudly calling the Tar Heel state home, I have witnessed the rapid expansion of our tech industry. Tech companies, large and small, and ambitious app developers have flocked from across the country to Charlotte and Raleigh, helping secure North Carolina as one of the top states for business.
As inflation continues to drive soaring costs across the U.S., Americans are in need of relief. Unfortunately, as Capitol Hill begins its mad dash to raise the debt limit prior to the New Year, credit card companies are yet again planning to hike swipe fees. This move will hit businesses and spike already high prices on everyday products for American consumers. North Carolinians are counting on our Congressman Patrick McHenry, as the ranking member of the House Committee on Financial Services, to oppose another swipe fee increase.
Benjamin Franklin gave us many great words of wisdom. One of his best lines is that we should “do well by doing good.” While this ideal may have worked in the politics and government of early American history in the 1700’s, we don’t see much of that sentiment in today’s public policy. People of all political stripes (right, middle, left and those not involved at all) are tired of the fighting and looking to support policies that exemplify the words of Mr. Franklin.
