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Board hears measles uptick, Medicaid uncertainty and private-well PFAS concerns
Summary
Health Director Quintana Stewart reported rising measles cases in North Carolina, uncertainty over $319M in Medicaid funding, and that county staff will step up private-well PFAS testing; board discussed coordination with schools and possible use of existing funds to cover shortfalls.
Orange Countys Health Director Quintana Stewart told the Board of Health Feb. 25 that measles cases are increasing in North Carolina and that the health department is coordinating with schools on exclusion guidance and staff immunization-record reviews.
"Measles cases continue to grow in North Carolina," Stewart said, and staff planned a meeting with local schools to review guidance on exclusion of unvaccinated students after exposures. Medical Director Dr. Erica Pettigrew offered to share a slide deck clarifying exclusion guidance and noted that a child with a vaccination exemption should be excluded after an exposure.
Stewart also warned that the state Medicaid budget remained unsettled, with a reported $319 million shortfall at the state level. She said some programsnotably Care Management for At-Risk Children (CMARC) and Care Management for High-Risk Pregnancies (CMHRP)remain in limbo and that the department expects to keep the programs but that reimbursement rates and funding timelines are unclear. She said the state Medicaid director, Jay Ludlam, had recently resigned.
Commissioner Earl McKee raised water-quality concerns after Marcy Williams presented media items on PFAS testing statewide: he noted Orange Water and Sewer Authority results showing levels below EPA thresholds but said private-well users could still be exposed and urged expanded testing and data unification. Stewart said Environmental Health staff are increasing private-well testing and providing treatment where possible, and the board discussed seeking intern support to compile and track regional groundwater-testing data.
Board members were briefed on these items and asked staff to continue coordination with schools, expand environmental testing as resources allow, and update the board as health threats and funding clarity evolve.
