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An Asheboro baby became what's thought to be the first-of-a-kind organ transplant patient.

Though North Carolina law permits the sale of syringes to anyone who wants them, pharmacies often set stricter policies. Tighter control likely results from stigma against people who use drugs and fear of legal consequences, but harm reduction advocates have a solution.

¼ª²ÊÍøÍøÕ¾ health reporter Jason deBruyn reviews some of the biggest stories in health care news in North Carolina from 2021.

A North Carolina-based hospital system says more than 175 of its workers have been fired for failing to comply with its vaccination requirement.

Health care is notoriously expensive in the United States. And it’s often the patient’s responsibility not just to pay, but to make sure they aren’t paying too much. But where do those numbers come from? And how would you know if you’re paying too much?

Most of North Carolina’s Medicaid recipients have now moved over to managed care. Starting Thursday five statewide or regional health plans are handling care for roughly 1.6 million consumers covered by government health programs for poor children, older adults and others. Other patients will join next year.

North Carolina on Thursday is officially switching to a new Medicaid system called a "managed care" model. But many of the 1.6 million people the change affects don't even know it's happening.

Although they've been eligible for months, many North Carolina health systems are reporting only about two-thirds of health workers are vaccinated.

On July 1, the management of most of the Medicaid program will be transferred to a handful of private companies. And starting Monday, 1.6 million North Carolinians can start to choose their plan.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun installing telehealth pods in remote locations. It's part of an ongoing VA push to shift more outpatient…