RALEIGH -- A simple way to start saving for retirement through payroll deductions may soon be a reality for over 1.7 million North Carolina workers who don't have access to pensions and 401Ks. The bi-partisan NC Work and Save bill (HB 899), introduced in the General Assembly in May, creates an easy-to-use, plug-and-play savings proposal requiring little effort or fiduciary responsibility from small businesses that want to offer their workers an important benefit.
It’s estimated that 1 in 10 Americans 65 or older experience elder abuse annually, ranging from financial exploitation to physical abuse or denial of medical care. May is Older Americans Month, and AARP North Carolina is working with agencies and groups to create a stronger elder-protection network.
AARP NC supports SB20 because based on action in other states, it will reduce crashes that result in fatalities and serious injuries. We advocate for communities that are more livable and age-friendly, including safer transportation networks. In addition, with decreased collision repair costs and medical expenses due to less distracted driving crashes, the NC Insurance Commissioner has said that insurance rates should decrease, which is important to our members, especially those on limited fixed incomes. The hands-free driving law is a common sense, enforceable approach to the problem of distracted driving.
RALEIGH -- The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced some good news for people who have been waiting patiently, as well as painfully, to visit their loved ones in long-term care facilities.
Serious illness affects all populations, yet some groups experience higher rates than others for a range of reasons, such as socioeconomic conditions and access to health care. The number of uninsured continues to climb in North Carolina, with COVID-19 exacerbating an already existing hole in coverage for many.
North Carolina insurance companies are asking for a 25 percent increase in insurance rates for homeowners across the state to be effective sometime in 2021.
The coronavirus pandemic highlighted long-standing issues with the state’s long-term care system. Problems include staffing shortages, low wages, high turnover, a lack of oversight and not enough technology for virtual visits,