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☆ Weight loss drug Wegovy is now approved for heart health — but that won't mean broad insurance coverage just yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

The blockbuster drug — one of a handful of weight loss treatments to skyrocket in popularity over the last year — is now approved in the U.S. for heart health, too. The spokesperson added that state Medicaid programs would be required to cover Wegovy for its new cardiovascular use. But Gremminger said the standard of care for the long-term use of weight loss drugs is "in flux." State employees will no longer have insurance coverage for GLP-1s when used for weight loss at the beginning of next month. Both drugmakers have launched programs to help patients, with or without commercial insurance coverage, afford their weight loss treatments.

Persons: Klesty, John Crable, Wegovy, Jaime Almandoz, Joe Buglewicz, Shawn Gremminger, Hartley, Gremminger, Dale Folwell, We've, Folwell, Phelan M, Eli Lilly, Ceci Connolly, Julie Stich Organizations: Reuters, Novo Nordisk, CNBC, Medicare, Services, FDA, CVS, Aetna, International Foundation of Employee, Drug Administration, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Washington Post, Getty, National Alliance of Healthcare, Taft, Nordisk, Nordisk's Ozempic, GOP, Carolina, Republican Governors Association, AP, Alliance of Community Health, U.S . Health, IFEBP, BMI Locations: U.S, Novo, Dallas, North Carolina, Orlando , Florida

Mark Robinson remained the top fundraiser in the GOP primary campaign for North Carolina governor entering 2024, but a recent rival has used his own personal fortune to compete with him monetarily. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesMorgan’s campaign report said it raised $119,300 during the second half of 2023 and had $32,100 in cash entering January. Graham's campaign finance report said it had $161,600 in cash starting the new year. He was sitting on almost $1.3 million in cash entering January, which came in large part from $1 million he loaned his campaign last June. Robinson, in turn, has attacked Graham in speeches about his lawsuits involving hog farm operations in eastern North Carolina.

Persons: Mark Robinson, monetarily, Bill Graham, Graham, Josh Stein’s, Mike Morgan, Roy Cooper, Stein, Josh Stein, Robinson, Donald Trump, Dale Folwell, — Gary Foxx, Marcus Williams, Chrelle Booker —, weren’t, Folwell, Sen, Thom Tillis Organizations: — Republican, Gov, GOP, North Carolina, State Board, Republican, Associated Press, Democratic, Current Democratic, Israel Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, North, Salisbury, North Carolina

☆ North Carolina cuts obesity drug coverage for state employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNorth Carolina cuts obesity drug coverage for state employeesHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC. Dave Folwell, North Carolina State Treasurer, joins the show to discuss North Carolina cutting obesity drug coverage.

Persons: Brian Sullivan, “, Dave Folwell Organizations: CNBC, North Carolina State Locations: Carolina, North Carolina

☆ Buried in Wegovy Costs, North Carolina Will Stop Paying for Obesity Drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Rebecca Robbins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

In June 2021, the insurance plan for North Carolina state employees was paying for 2,800 people to take weight-loss drugs. Last year, it paid for nearly 25,000. Medications like Wegovy cost the North Carolina State Health Plan $100 million last year, rising seemingly out of nowhere to represent 10 percent of its spending on prescription drugs. “This is something we never anticipated,” said Dale Folwell, the state treasurer whose office runs the health plan.

Persons: ”, Dale Folwell Organizations: North Carolina, Health Locations: North Carolina

☆ Your tax dollars are getting spent on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and the total is adding up
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementConnecticut was quick to experience the impact of weight loss drugs on its economy last year. Politico reported in November that the state's employee health plan was set to spend $30 million on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Comptroller Sean Scanlon told BI that that was up from $8 million in 2020. Connecticut began testing out a method to offer those seeking weight loss drugs access to a program with online tools for weight management. In North Carolina, the State Health Plan has put a moratorium on new users of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.

Persons: Sean Scanlon, Scanlon, it's, Dale Folwell, Folwell, Shelby Livingston, Eli Lilly, that'll, Nik Modi Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg, Medicaid, Politico, BI, State, North, State Health, Novo Nordisk, Wall Street, University of Texas System, UT, RBC Capital Markets Locations: Connecticut, Wegovy, . Connecticut, North Carolina, Novo, Netherlands, United States

☆ Getting hot new weight-loss drugs like Wegovy will still be a struggle in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementIf you were hoping that powerhouse weight-loss drugs like Wegovy would be easier to get in 2024, you may be disappointed. Don't expect Medicare coverage any time soonMedicare could play a major role in expanding coverage of weight-loss drugs . Americans' hunger for weight-loss drugs, and the shockwaves it's likely to send through the culture and economy, are only just beginning. He oversees the state employee health plan, which saw costs skyrocket as thousands of workers suddenly started taking weight-loss drugs. People who are already getting weight-loss drugs will be able to keep taking them.

Persons: —, Renee Rayburg, Mercer, Eli Lilly's, Jose Luis Pelaez, there's, Wegovy, Bill Coyle, ZS, Eli Lilly, David Risinger, Lilly, Risinger, Morgan Stanley, Mounjaro, They're, That's, Patrik Jonsson, Lilly USA, Coyle, Dale Folwell, Folwell Organizations: Service, Pharmaceutical, Group, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Mayo Clinic, University of Texas, Hennepin Healthcare, Medicare, Capital Alpha Partners, Vanderbilt University, Nordisk's Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, pharma, Nordisk's, FDA, Pharma, UBS BioPharma Conference, Walmart, Jefferies, Nordisk Locations: Mounjaro, Government, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Hennepin, ZS, U.S, Carolina, North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2024 election promises to feature several major battlegrounds, but for sheer breadth of competitive contests, North Carolina next year will be hard to beat. Recent presidential contests in North Carolina have been close: In 2020, Donald Trump won North Carolina by about 74,000 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast. In other words, in 2024, North Carolina will be one of the centers of the political universe – important in part because it’s a uniquely competitive state. “North Carolina has proved to be a purple state, but not necessarily a swing state,” says Cooper, the political scientist. For the better part of two decades, Georgia, like North Carolina, had voted consistently Republican in key federal races – until 2020.

Persons: Donald Trump, Tricia Cotham, Roy Cooper, Cooper, Josh Stein, Mark Robinson, Stein, Robinson, ”, Chris Cooper, Kay Hagan, Barack Obama, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock, Biden, Warnock, Republican George W, Bush, Gore, Charlotte don’t, Al Gore, Charlotte, “ There’s, “, Mac McCorkle, Rachel Salzberg, Carolina’s Cooper, don’t, Anderson Clayton, ” Anderson, –, Rob Schofield, Clayton, Ferrel Guillory, Robinson doesn’t, Dale Folwell, Mark Walker, Andy Wells, Jesse Thomas, he’s, Michael Bitzer, sidestepped Cooper’s, Robinson’s, McCorkle, ” John Hood, John William Pope, ” Hood, Trump Organizations: North, North Carolina, GOP, Democrat, Republican, Democratic Gov, Democratic, Gov, UNC, Duke, Western Carolina University, Republicans, Atlanta, Biden, Carolina’s, Trump, Georgia –, state’s, of Science, Technology, Innovation, Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, Democratic Party, Appalachian State University, The Washington Post, Senate, University of North, Dartmouth, Harvard, Catawba College, “, Affordable, John William Pope Foundation Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, North Carolina, “ North Carolina, Carolina, Georgia, Atlanta, Carolina’s Raleigh, Durham, Wake, Raleigh, Cary, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Atlanta’s, Texas, Mecklenburg, North Carolina’s, Clayton, Union County, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

☆ They've been beaten, trolled, threatened with sexual violence but refuse to be silenced
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Adie Vanessa Offiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ixchíu Hernández had already been the victim of years of online threats -- attempts to humiliate and silence her. Published in April 2021, it reveals: "Online attacks on women journalists appear to be increasing significantly, as this study demonstrates, particularly in the context of the 'shadow pandemic' of violence against women during COVID-19. "Online violence against women journalists is designed to: belittle, humiliate, and shame; induce fear, silence, and retreat; discredit them professionally, undermining accountability journalism and trust in facts; and chill their active participation...in public debate. Ricchiardi-Folwell explains that because of the often-sexualized nature of the attacks, women remain silent about their harassment, which leads them to believe they are alone. Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021 and updated to reference the latest report by UNESCO.

☆ The upcoming North Carolina gubernatorial election could be another flashpoint in the nation's sharply divided politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

North Carolina GOP Lt. Gov. The 2024 gubernatorial race could feature two major forces in North Carolina government — Democratic state Attorney General Josh Stein and Republican Lt. Gov. "I'm running for governor because we the people of North Carolina need someone who understands us," he told his supporters. Roy Cooper has been an institution in North Carolina Democratic politics. North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell is already in the race, and former Rep. Mark Walker is expected to enter the contest soon.

“Mission Hospital used to be where everyone would go if they wanted good care,” Jaquins said, reflecting on her previous experiences with the health care system. Sue Fischer is a longtime HCA employee who’s concerned about patient care in her facility. “We were a great system as Mission Health and we’re an even better system as HCA Mission Health,” she said. “Delays in care is the biggest patient care issue I see because of staffing,” Hernandez said. According to the CMS ranking system, Mission Hospital currently holds an above-average overall quality rating — four stars out of a possible five.

☆ Tons of other animals have clitorises — and they can teach us more about human sexuality
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Many animals have clitorises, a female sex organ, but experts say they're understudied. She said she's seen more interest in this field in recent years, mostly from young female researchers. They found that all female snakes studied have a pair of clitorises — or hemiclitores, a two-part clitoris. Brennan said the fact that snake species have intersex individuals has heightened confusion about the creature's genital organs over the years. Their findings suggest that, like those in human females, the dolphin's clitoris provides pleasure during sex.

CNN —Scientists have discovered that female snakes have a clitoris — a previously overlooked or dismissed part of their anatomy (and that of many other animals), according to a new study. Female genitalia is not an easy subject to bring up sometimes and I think people were happy saying ‘it doesn’t exist. Folwell decided to investigate the female genitalia of snakes after noticing that very little research had been done on the topic. Studies of female genitalia in the animal kingdom are relatively sparse because of an “overwhelming focus on male genitalia,” according to the study. Last year, Patricia Brennan, an associate professor of biological sciences at Mount Holyoke College and coauthor on the new snake study, revealed dolphins also have functional clitoris.

☆ North Carolina treasurer wants BlackRock CEO to go, but keeps assets at firm
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Ross Kerber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 9 (Reuters) - North Carolina's state treasurer on Friday called for BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) Chief Executive Laurence Fink to resign or be removed from the top asset management firm, citing its focus on sustainable investing, but said public assets will stay with the firm. A division of Folwell's office, the North Carolina Retirement Systems (NCRS), has about $14 billion invested through BlackRock. A focus on ESG is not a focus on returns," the statement said. Meanwhile, Democratic officials and investors want BlackRock and other companies to come to terms with issues like climate change or workforce diversity. Earlier this week, small activist hedge fund Bluebell Capital Partners also sought Fink's departure over the company's ESG efforts.

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