NC State Health Plan’s Atrium decision underscores risks of proposed WakeMed takeover

RALEIGH (July 15, 2026) – The North Carolina Justice Center reiterates its opposition to the proposed takeover of WakeMed by Atrium Health, which threatens to raise health care costs and undermine local community control. The recent decision by the NC State Health Plan to declare Atrium a “non-preferred provider” due to its high costs raises further doubt about the value of this deal to Wake County residents, more than 45,000 of whom work for the state government or a public university covered by the State Health Plan.

Last month, State Health Plan Executive Administrator Tom Friedman revealed that Atrium charges between 15 and 40 percent more than WakeMed for the exact same services and warned that the WakeMed-Atrium deal could raise state employee health care premiums by $7 to $11 per month. Under the Plan’s new structure, WakeMed is likely to be considered an “access” provider—one tier below preferred providers like UNC Health and Novant, but significantly more affordable to state employees and their families than non-preferred providers like Atrium.

“If the Wake County Commission approves this takeover, it could mean less choice of provider for Wake County state employees and their families, or higher prices for everyone covered by the State Health Plan,” said Nathan Foster, a health policy specialist at the NC Justice Center. “Commissioners should demand clear answers about the effects of this proposed deal on health care costs and access to care.”

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Nathan Foster, Health Policy Specialist, North Carolina Justice Center, nathan.foster@ncjustice.org