The WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI) Podcast

In this radio version of the WNC Health Policy Initiative podcast, we sit down with Katie Alexander and Ali Houghton from Pisgah Legal Services' WNC Health and Economic Opportunity Program to explore the impact of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act on healthcare coverage.
We discuss how this sweeping legislation could reshape healthcare access across Western North Carolina, especially for Medicaid recipients, folks using tax credits on their marketplace insurance, documented immigrant communities, and folks with disabilities. Tune in for insights into what this means for healthcare access, and the future of health policy in our region and check out our soon-to-be-released 'full version' in the next few days.
Music featured in this podcast includes the tracks “The Cost of All Things” and “Paving Stones” by the Blue Dot Sessions. These tracks are found on the Free Music Archive under license Attribution International CBY 4.0.

Weathering the Storm: Lessons Learned From the Healthcare Response to Helene (Part 1)
In this episode, we launch a special, non-consecutive series exploring “Lessons Learned from The Healthcare Response to Hurricane Helene”—a research project part of the Western North Carolina Health Policy Initiative, and one of 21 efforts funded by the NC Collaboratory. 
This study seeks to understand how health system leaders navigated the challenges of Hurricane Helene: what worked, what didn’t, and what must change to strengthen our regional response in future crises. Through interviews and qualitative research, the team is gathering critical insights to shape smarter, more resilient practices for health organizations, communities, and governments across WNC.
Throughout the series, we’ll trace the evolution of the project—from its early design to the stories being collected, key findings, and the final takeaways that aim to turn lived experience into lasting policy change.
Tune in as we begin the journey toward learning from the past to better prepare for what’s ahead.
This project is supported by the North Carolina Collaboratory at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with funding appropriated by the North CarolinaGeneral Assembly.

In this episode, UNCA student intern, Emma Hoosier, shares her perspective on the healthcare workforce shortage in Western North Carolina. Through her internship experience, she reflects on conversations with local providers and community members about the challenges facing the region — and the potential solutions emerging from local insights, state initiatives, and national policy discussions. She also shares her own path to becoming an intern with the NCCHW, offering a glimpse into how other students in WNC can get involved in public health efforts across the mountains. Stay tuned for updates on Emma’s written list of policy opportunities. 
In the meantime, check out the following sources:  
AHEC Opportunities for Middle and High School Students: https://mahec.net/residents-and-students/high-school
AHEC Opportunities for health professions students in rotation: https://mahec.net/residents-and-students/student-housing
Hiring Veterans into the Healthcare Workforce: https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2019/04/opportunity-to-hire-veterans-toolkit.pdf
Community Health Workers: https://ncchwa.org/
Robert Wood Johnson  Foundation on recruiting providers from the communities they come from: https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/blog/2024/09/why-diversifying-the-health-professions-matters-for-everyone.html
Impacts of HR1 on NC: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/04/15/older-and-disabled-medicaid-recipients-worried-potential-medicaid-cuts/#:~:text=But%20the%20law%20that%20expanded,for%20the%20Advancement%20of%20Science.
8/10+19

In Episode 12 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we hear how housing — especially in the wake of disaster — is deeply connected to health and wellbeing in Western North Carolina.
After Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction, policymakers, advocates, and community leaders are asking: How do we build back in a way that supports resilience, and long‑term health?
To answer this, Andrew talks with Andreanecia M. Morris, Executive Director of HousingNOLA, about lessons from New Orleans’ recovery after Hurricane Katrina, strategies for transparent housing policy that supports local residents, and models like housing trust funds that could strengthen WNC’s response and recovery.
Tune in to learn why housing policy is health policy — especially after a crisis.
Read more about media references in the show here:
NOLA
Housing NOLA
NOLA Housing Trust Fund
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Mental and Physical Health of Low-Income Parents in New Orleans
CorpWatch: BIG, EASY MONEY DISASTER PROFITEERING ON THE AMERICAN GULF COAST
WNC
WNC Health Network: Housing Instability in WNC
WLOS: 200,000 people impacted by Helene housing damages; many struggling to find homes
NC Newsline: How a disaster recovery firm pitched itself to North Carolina, years after losing prior contract
Smoky Mountain News: Good intentions gone wrong: Maconians sound alarm on excessive debris removal
News Observer: Firm lost one recovery contract, then got another. NC officials defend decision.
 

In Episode 11 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we continue taking a closer look at the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) from the perspectives of those most deeply involved on the ground. As state budget debates put the future of the pilot in question, we hear from the WNC network lead, a participating Healthy Social Opportunity (HSO), and families enrolled in the program about what HOP actually means for their health and wellbeing.
This episode brings forward real voices from the pilot, showing how addressing social determinants like housing, food security, and transportation through Medicaid can make a tangible difference — and why decisions about funding in Raleigh matter for communities here in Western North Carolina
Special thanks to guests: Jennifer Caldwell (Impact Health), Sonya Jones (Caja Solidaria & the Henderson County Department of Public Health), Christina Schnabel (Caja Solidaria) & Elizabeth Johnson (parent advocate)

In Episode 10 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we hear about a recent evaluation of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) — a Medicaid initiative designed to improve health by addressing upstream needs like food security, housing, transportation, and safety.
As state lawmakers debate funding in the budget and pilot programs face shutdown, we talk with Dr. Seth Berkowitz, a lead evaluator of HOP, about what the data show: improved health outcomes, reduced emergency care use, and potential cost savings. The episode explores what North Carolina gains — and risks losing — by investing in this innovative approach to better health.
Find the publication here: "Medicaid Spending and Health-Related Social Needs in the North Carolina Healthy Opportunities Pilots Program" 

In Episode 9 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we learn about the childcare crisis in Western North Carolina — a pressing issue affecting families, workers, and local economies.
Joined by experts and advocates from the Western North Carolina Early Childhood Coalition, NC Department of Commerce, and NC Child, this episode explores why childcare is so hard to find and afford, how it affects parents’ ability to work and thrive, and what policy and community solutions could help ease the burden for families across the region, especially post Helene.
Tune in to hear real voices and insights on one of WNC’s most critical social determinants of health.
Special thanks to guests, Greg Borom (WNC Early Childhood Coalition), Susan Rotante (Parent Advocate), Samantha Cole (NC Department of Commerce) & Neil Harrington (NC Child).

In Episode 8 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we speak with Honey Yang Estrada, President of the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association, about the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Western North Carolina.
We explore how CHWs — trusted members of their communities — help bridge gaps in healthcare access, support people experiencing barriers to care, and relieve pressure on the broader health workforce.
Listeners learn about the strengths, challenges, and policy opportunities for integrating CHWs into local health systems as part of solutions for workforce shortages and health outcomes across WNC.

In Episode 7 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we wrap up our three‑part series on language access in Western North Carolina by focusing on policy strategies and practical resources to improve communication in healthcare.
Host Andrew Rainey is joined by language access coordinators, interpreters, and policy experts to explore four key areas — cost implications, workforce development, infrastructure, and outreach — and discuss how better language access can improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and strengthen services across the region.
Tune in to learn what policy tools and community resources are available now, and what’s needed next to build more equitable, accessible health systems in WNC. 
See resources from the episode below:
Cost
Professor in Residence in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine at the UCSF, Dr Leah Karliner, about a study which shows how language access decreases readmission rates and hospital expenditures for payers.
Language Access Coordinator, Aaron Vidaurri, on ways organizations can start thinking about language access in their budget.
Workforce Development
MAHEC's continuing education planner, Rosalyn Wasserman, about their medical interpretation series.
The Health Access Programs Manager at the Western Carolina Medical Society, Rosalia McHattie.
Infrastructure
Program Analyst, Gretchen Ramirez, of NC's Broadband Infrastructure Office, under the Division of Broadband Access and Digital Equity
Deputy Director of the NC Office of Digital Equity and Literacy, Maggie Woods. See the NC One Map here.
Outreach
Steward and Linguist at the Cenzontle Language Justice Cooperative, Monserrat Ramirez.
 

In Episode 6 of the WNC Health Policy Initiative Podcast, we explore the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) — an innovative effort in Western North Carolina that uses Medicaid funding to address key social drivers of health like housing, food security, and transportation.
Joined by Dionne Greenlee‑Jones, Senior Director of Innovation and Equity Development at Impact Health, this episode breaks down what HOP looks like on the ground, how it supports community health, and why upstream investments matter for better health outcomes and cost savings.
Whether you’re interested in Medicaid innovation, community partnerships, or upstream health policy, this conversation offers insights into how social factors shape wellbeing across WNC