Just a day before the Wake County Board of Commissioners meeting that could decide the fate of WakeMed, a long-standing healthcare system in Wake County, county and state leaders spoke out.

WRAL asked county commissioners where they stand on the deal that would merge Atrium Health and WakeMed through a $2 billion investment.

The proposed merger requires approval from county commissioners. Critics have raised concerns that combining the systems will lead to higher healthcare costs.

Wake County Commissioners hesitant of revised deal

One county commissioner told WRAL she plans to vote “no” on Monday.

Commissioner Vickie Adamson, who represents District 7, told WRAL in a statement Sunday:

After much consideration and prayer, I intend to vote no on the proposed amendment to the transfer agreement that would allow WakeMed to move forward in becoming part of Atrium Health. In the very short time I’ve had with the documents, it’s not clear to me that the changes address the concerns Wake County residents have about the substance of the agreement. I am very concerned about costs increasing if WakeMed merges with Atrium. I don’t have confidence that amending the transfer agreement in this way won’t directly lead to increased health care cost. I received the new documents on Thursday night at the same time as the public and the media. These are complicated legal documents that require time to review and discuss together as a County Commission, and for us to engage with questions from the public. This timeline doesn’t let up do either of those things. I spoke out on this issue in May because the process felt rushed and undemocratic, and I feel the same about where we stand today. I’m just not comfortable being part of setting a precedent for rushed, undemocratic decision making in Wake county. I ran for County Commission on a commitment to good governance, and this is not good governance. 

© WRAL

Commissioner Tara Waters, who represents District 5, where WakeMed’s Raleigh Campus is located, told WRAL in an interview that she has heard feedback and concerns from residents on the deal.

Waters worries the revised deal has complicated legal and healthcare language and specifications that not all residents have time to understand before a decision is made Monday.

While not specifying how she would vote on Monday, Waters said, “It’s an important decision and one that I will do thoughtfully, prayerfully, and with the citizens of Wake County in mind.”

Governor Josh Stein does not oppose

In a statement released on Sunday, Governor Josh Stein said he “does not oppose the combination” after WakeMed leaders added revisions to reflect a $150 million community contribution, charity-care protections, and clarification of Atrium’s $2 billion investment over 15 years.

“The proposed transaction between Atrium and WakeMed
has improved substantially in recent days. Health care costs are too high, so I
asked Atrium to cap price increases at WakeMed to not more than 1.5 times the
annual increase in Medicare costs for the next five years. I am pleased that
Atrium has agreed to my request. We need broader health care reform to address
rising costs, and I am committed to partnering with the General Assembly to
make health care cost less for North Carolinians. 

Additionally, I am pleased that Atrium responded to
my concerns about the source of funds for the $2 billion investment in WakeMed
capital projects by agreeing that Atrium will fully fund that investment. I
also appreciate Atrium’s new commitments to increase WakeMed’s annual amount of
minimum indigent care from 4.8 percent to 8 percent of total adjusted revenue
and to create a $150 million fund that will benefit the community.

Because Atrium has addressed a number of concerns
about the deal’s impact on North Carolinians, I do not oppose the
combination.” 

Governor Stein originally questioned the deal that landed on the County Commissioners’ agenda in May. 

Union and advocacy groups worried about workers and patients

“The Triangle Central Labor Council, a democratically elected body representing more than 20,000 union members across the Triangle, continues to have serious concerns about the proposed transfer of WakeMed Health & Hospitals to Atrium Health,” the Triangle Central Labor Council wrote in a statement Sunday.

On Friday, advocacy groups told WRAL, “Atrium is already the biggest. when they become even bigger, they’re going to take that and squeeze more money out of us.”