Access to Healthcare

The NCIOM has conducted a number of Task Forces studying Access to Healthcare.

A Long-Term Care Plan for North Carolina

Data and Technical Assistance Manual

A wide variety of Data Snapshots are also available. These Data Snapshots characterize the North Carolina uninsured, summarize costs and insurance premiums, and provide county-level estimates.

The 2008 Health Care Services for the Uninsured & Other Underserved Populations, Technical Assistance Manual outlines how communities can build safety net systems in their community.

Health Access Study Group
Final Report
Issue Brief

The North Carolina General Assembly directed the NCIOM to convene a panel to "study issues related to access to appropriate and affordable health care for all North Carolinians." (Sec. 31 of Session Law 2008-181, 2008 Studies Act). The Study Group considered, in addition to other options, recommendations made by the NCIOM Covering the Uninsured and Healthcare Safety Net Task Forces. The Study Group reported its recommendations to the Joint Legislative Health Care Oversight Committee and the North Carolina General Assembly. Rep. Hugh Holliman, Sen. Tony Rand and Dr. Allen Dobson served as co-chairs of the study group, which published its final report in April 2009.

Task Force on Covering the Uninsured
2008 Update
Final Report
Fact Sheets
NC Medical Journal May/June 2006 (67:3): Covering the Uninsured

The NCIOM Task Force on Covering the Uninsured was part of a larger planning effort to examine options to expand health insurance coverage to the uninsured. The US Department of Health and Human Services awarded a one-year grant to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) to study policy options to expand coverage to the uninsured ("State Planning Grants"). Carmen Hooker Odom, Secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, and Thomas Lambeth, Senior Fellow at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation co-chaired the Task Force, which published its final report in April 2006.

Task Force on Covering the Uninsured
2008 Update
Final Report
Fact Sheets

Task Force on NC Healthcare Safety Net
2008 Update
Final Report
Issue Brief

In January 2004, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust awarded funding to the North Carlina Institute of Medicine to study the adequacy and financial viability of the current healthcare safety-net structure and to develop models to better integrate existing resources. Carmen Hooker Odom, Secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, and Sherwood Smith, JD, Chair Emeritus of Progress Energy, co-chaired the Task Force, which published its final report in April 2005.

A Long-Term Care Plan for North Carolina
Final Report
Executive Summary
Issue Brief
Interim Report

In the fall of 1999, the then Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Honorable H. David Bruton, MD, asked the NC IOM to convene a statewide task force to assist DHHS in developing a long-term care plan. After 18 months of research and examination of issues, the task force presented its final report to the incoming NC DHHS Secretary, the Honorable Carmen Hooker Odom, in March 2001.

Task Force on Dental Care Access: Report to the North Carolina General Assembly and to the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Final Report
2001 Update

In the Summer of 1998, NC DHHS requested the assistance of the NC IOM in evaluating and recommending strategies to address the problem of access to primary dental care services for low-income populations in our state. Among the issues of focal concern was the low level of participation by private dentists in the NC Medicaid program. After eight months of research, the NC IOM presented its final report to NC DHHS.