North Carolina: The New Frontier For Health Care Transformation

In many ways, North Carolina highlights the potential and the challenges facing health care and public health in America. The state is home to leading health systems and health care innovators capable of delivering state-of-the-art care, and to health care providers and community organizations developing and implementing new population health innovations.

At the same time, North Carolinians are also experiencing stagnant or worsening population mortality rates and substantial health disparities. The state ranks 33rd in overall health, 14.7 percent of residents live below the poverty line, and over one million North Carolinians are uninsured. Health care costs are rising, crowding out other state budgetary priorities and limiting wage increases. Despite clear evidence, avoidable medical costs have proven difficult to eliminate.