The State Health Plan (Plan) has met its considerable financial challenges head-on this year, successfully tackling a substantial deficit. The Plan's Board of Trustees recently discussed the state of affairs and the steps being taken to ensure a healthier future for its members. "2025, I think we all knew, would be a tough year. There were a lot of challenges the State Health Plan faced, and I think staff and the board have done a fantastic job addressing those head on," State Treasurer Brad Briner, who chairs the Plan's Board of Trustees, expressed optimism in a statement obtained by North Carolina Treasurer's official news release.
Looking to the future, the Plan aims to implement bold strategies in 2026. Despite 2025's successes, the next year promises to bring more hurdles to clear. The Executive Administrator of the Plan, Thomas Friedman, noted, "2026 is going to be a more challenging year. We have a lot of big, ambitious goals for the year to improve the health of Plan members." Addressing provider strategies and the expansion of specialty care stands atop the agenda to heighten the quality and affordability of services for all members, as per the North Carolina Treasurer's official news release.
The Plan's focus remains firmly on chronic health conditions – with 70% of its members affected by maladies such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. These persistent illnesses are main drivers of healthcare costs, necessitating long-term treatment schemes. As part of its comprehensive approach, the Plan is also initiating new efforts to enhance accessibility to OB-GYN care.
Digital health initiatives have not gone unnoticed in the Plan's concerted efforts to revamp care. Lantern, which focuses on building a network of surgical providers; Hinge Health, a pioneer in digital exercise therapy; and Hello Heart, which targets digital heart preventative health measures, are all making strides, as highlighted in the briefing. Along with these advancements, Segal Consulting delivered a 2024 Population Risk Report that exposed prevalent and emerging health risks, shedding light on cost-control measures that could simultaneously elevate Plan members' well-being.
