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How The Rising Cost Of Health Care Is Affecting The ACA in North Carolina

photo of a stethoscope
Wesley Wilson
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Pexels
Health care costs are rising, despite government hopes that the Affordable Care Act would diminish such costs.

When the Affordable Care Act went into effect, the federal government hoped visits to the Emergency Room - some of the most expensive treatments in the industry - would decrease.

Instead, ER visits are rising. Experts blame the spike on patients who have health insurance for the first time and have yet to visit a primary care physician.

Meanwhile, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has asked for a nearly 19 percent rate increase for policies under the Affordable Care Act. The company has also sued the federal government for $130 million, asserting it is not receiving payments designed to stabilize the market.

Guest host Phoebe Judge talks with Jason deBruyn, reporter for the Triangle Business Journal, about how industries in the state are responding to the rising costs of health care.

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Will Michaels is WUNC's Weekend Host and Reporter.
Phoebe Judge is an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured on a numerous national radio programs. She regularly conducts interviews and anchors WUNC's broadcast of Here & Now. Previously, Phoebe served as producer, reporter and guest host for the nationally distributed public radio program The Story. Earlier in her career, Phoebe reported from the gulf coast of Mississippi. She covered the BP oil spill and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio. Phoebe's work has won multiple Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press awards. Phoebe was born and raised in Chicago and is graduate of Bennington College and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.
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