Thomas Friedman, Executive Administrator of the State Health Plan, joins The SEANC View podcast to explain the Lantern program, a new preferred-provider and tiered-access model designed to lower costs for members while improving quality and access. We also discuss the recently approved preferred tiers by the State Health Plan Board of Trustees, efforts to protect rural access, early program results, and plans to negotiate better pricing with providers. The conversation also touches on contract changes, the push for transparency and competition, and how these steps aim to reduce premiums and preserve funds for employee raises and retiree benefits, while keeping participation voluntary and focused on member choice.

Hosts Jonathan Owens, Suzanne Beasley and producer Samantha Cline discuss the week’s biggest story: Senate leader Phil Berger’s surprise primary concession to Sam Page and the ensuing scramble for Senate leadership. We also break down new revenue forecasts that trigger a personal income tax cut, the resulting budget gap, and what a compressed short session could mean for state services, pay raises, and infrastructure funding. The episode also covers upcoming advocacy plans (Lobby Day on May 6), recent member events like Cherry Hospital, lighter personal moments, and the hosts’ takeaways for state employees and retirees.

Hosts Jonathan Owens, Ardis Watkins, and Suzanne Beasley discuss Governor Josh Stein’s proposed critical needs budget and its impact on state employees and retirees; the sustainability and transparency issues facing the State Health Plan; debates over Aetna and Lantern’s surgery network; and rising prescription costs. They also cover upcoming veto override votes, primary election recounts, and what to expect in the short legislative session.

Jonathan Owens, Ardis Watkins, and Sammy Cline break down North Carolina’s unresolved Senate District 26 recount, Governor Stein’s new “critical needs” budget targeting raises for correctional officers, teachers, and state staff, and the $319M Medicaid rebase request. We also discuss expanding the Lantern surgical program for state employees, Gen Z’s shifting political identity, the Ticketmaster antitrust fight, and a light St. Patrick’s Day conversation.

Close races and upsets in Tuesday's Primary Elections could affect the balance of power in Raleigh — and potentially the debate over raises, cost-of-living adjustments, job cuts, and other issues important to state employees and retirees in the upcoming short session. This week the SEANC teams examines the results and what they could mean for state employees and retirees.

This week on the SEANC View Podcast, we check in with Past President Charles Johnson. Charles served as SEANC President from 2010 to 2012. He also served on the State Health Plan Board of Trustees and on statewide boards for the pension system and criminal justice. He retired from state service, primarily in prisons, where he rose from an entry-level correctional officer to Associate Warden. Charles details how he fought against passing exploding health care costs onto state employees and retirees while on the Plan board. He also discusses his career in prisons, the changing state workforce, the vacancy crisis, and his strategies for retaining employees during his time in leadership. We also discuss early voting turnout for the March 3 Primary Election, and key races that are hotly contested.