July Council of State Republican News!
July Council of State Republican News!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
N.C. Council of State Republicans continue to work hard in Raleigh on our behalf. Here are some important updates from their offices in the month of July!
State Auditor Dave Boliek
The vulnerabilities stem from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) allowing Medicaid providers with license limitations, suspensions, or other credential issues to remain on the Medicaid program. The audit was conducted to determine if DHHS implemented fixes for similar issues found in a 2021 audit. Ultimately, this audit found DHHS “failed to fully remedy the issue, leaving North Carolina’s Medicaid system and taxpayers vulnerable to fraudulent and potentially dangerous behavior.”
Several providers that posed a risk to low-income Medicaid patients but remained in the Medicaid program were identified in the audit:
- Provider A: Treated 21 Medicaid patients and received $1,311 in payments despite being under a Non-Practice Agreement for practicing medicine while abusing alcohol.
- Provider B: Treated 14 Medicaid patients and received $5,415 in payments despite being under a Non-Practice Agreement for inappropriately prescribing controlled substances and medications to friends and romantic partners.
- Provider C: Billed Medicaid for services provided to 78 Medicaid patients, including 21 female patients, despite a license limitation restricting the physician from treating female patients.
- Provider D: Remained active in the Medicaid program despite having their Moderate Sedation permit suspended for administering general anesthesia without a permit.
- Provider E: Remained active in the Medicaid program despite having a license limitation prohibiting the physician from prescribing controlled medications following a DEA raid.
“When you go to the doctor, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether your physician is in good standing with the professional medical community,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “Medical suspensions and license limitations are serious prohibitions that need to be treated as such. To ensure Medicaid patients have safety and trust with their physicians, it’s important that the government promptly addresses the Medicaid provider issues found in our latest report.”
The audit listed six recommendations for DHHS to take, including removing “all providers from the Medicaid program who have professional license limitations that pose threats to the safety of patients.” It also highlighted the $1.5 billion contract DHHS has with General Dynamics Information Technology to perform provider enrollment functions. OSA noted that DHHS “should improve monitoring of the $1.5 billion GDIT contract so that the state’s interest is protected and to ensure the effective and efficient use of taxpayer funds.”
State Treasurer Brad Briner
The North Carolina Retirement Systems (NCRS) produced landmark earnings during the first six months of 2025. State Treasurer Brad Briner reported the plan yielded $8 billion in investment returns since he took office on Jan. 1. This is approximately $3.5 billion more than our assumed return. The NCRS outperformed the U.S. stock market and was able to significantly cut down the inherited $16 billion deficit.
The North Carolina Retirement Systems' investments had an estimated total percentage return of 6.11% calendar year to date as of June 30. This equates to roughly $7.7 billion gain in those six months (adjusting for $388 million of net benefit payments made from the investments over the period).
The actuarial required rate of return is 6.50% on an annual basis, 3.25% over six months. If the plan earned only the 3.25% for the period, the gain would have been roughly $4.1 billion rather than $7.7 billion. The plan therefore added roughly $3.6 billion in value over the first six months of the year relative to the actuarial required rate of return.
Treasurer Briner commented on the news in a video!
Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey joined Sunset Beach Mayor Shannon Phillips and Gina Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA), to announce a $20 million grant initiative through the 2025 Strengthen Your Coastal Roof program. The announcement took place at a Sunset Beach home equipped with a FORTIFIED Roof, a national standard in resilient roofing developed by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS).
The Strengthen Your Coastal Roof program provides $6,000 grants to eligible NCIUA policyholders to upgrade their homes with an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof. These roofs feature enhanced wind and water protections such as stronger roof deck attachment, sealed roof decks, and locked down edges. Each installation is independently verified by a third party to ensure the upgrades meet IBHS standards.
Commissioner Causey emphasized the financial and structural benefits of FORTIFIED Roofs. “Installing an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof not only strengthens your home against severe weather but also provides policyholders with valuable insurance credits that reduce their premiums,” said Causey. “Research from the Institute for Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State University shows that homes with a FORTIFIED Roof had about 35 percent fewer claims after Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Dorian, and Isaias. When claims were filed, the damage was about 23 percent less severe.”
With the combined impact of the Strengthen Your Roof and Strengthen Your Coastal Roof programs, along with the Stronger Roof Endorsement, NCIUA has already assisted more than 18,000 policyholders in obtaining an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof since adopting the standard in 2016. These efforts represent more than $120 million invested in building stronger, safer homes across the coast.
For more information and to apply for a grant:
- Visit: StrengthenYourCoastalRoof.com
- Call: 1-877-GRANTNC (877-472-6862)
Labor Commissioner Luke Farley
North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley issued the following statement after Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 559 — the “Make Elevators Great Again” (MEGA) Act — into law:
“I appreciate that Governor Stein has signed the Make Elevators Great Again Act – my plan to enhance public safety on elevators & amusement rides and restore trust in government services,” said Commissioner Farley. “This bipartisan law is a model for government efficiency, giving the NC Department of Labor the tools we need to eliminate the elevator inspection backlog, strengthen rider safety, and deliver faster, more reliable service to the people of North Carolina — all without costing taxpayers a dime.”
“I also want to thank the General Assembly for their overwhelming support of our MEGA bill. This was my top legislative priority, and I’m proud to see it signed into law just months into my first term as Labor Commissioner. With this law in place, we’re ready to go to work — recruiting more inspectors, reducing delays, and raising the bar for safety across North Carolina.”
The NC Department of Labor will begin immediate implementation of the law.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler
Blue ribbons, bragging rights and prize money are up for grabs at the N.C. Mountain State Fair and the competition information is now online so people can start working on their entries. That includes preparing for a fun, new, in-person, day-of “Mullet & ‘Stache” competition on Sept. 6, where you can fatten your wallet with your winning mullet or earn some cash for your fabulous ‘stache.
First-, second- and third-place ribbons will be awarded for the best mullet and facial hair, along with $50 for first, $25 for second and $10 for third. The hair must be your own, no extensions are allowed, but styling aids including color, glitter or hair products, are permitted.
The contest takes place on Heritage Stage with contestants judged on appearance, style, presentation and audience reaction.
Another day-of competition, the popular Ice Cream Eating Contest, returns on Sept. 9 with four classes: Ages 5-7, ages 8-12, ages 13-17 and adults ages 18 and up. The contest, which is sponsored by the N.C. Dairy Producers Association, is limited to the first 20 people to register in each age class. The first one to eat the designated amount of ice cream will be the winner and receive a trophy. Ribbons will be awarded to second- and third-place winners.
To access the catalog and entry information, go to https://www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair/exhibitors.
Livestock competitions includes various categories for cattle, swine, goat, sheep, poultry, rabbits and llamas. Registration for youth shows is free, with a fee for open shows. Please check the website for rules and documentation required for each category.