Abby Cavenaugh

Commissioners move to United American coverage to protect retirees’ access to local doctorsKENANSVILLE — Duplin County officials have taken decisive action to safeguard healthcare access for retirees after learning that UNC Health would no longer accept Humana Medicare Advantage plans starting on Jan. 1, 2026. 

At Monday’s County Commissioners meeting, retirees voiced strong concerns about the changes in provider networks and rate increases. The commissioners responded by unanimously approving a motion to contract with United American for post-65 medical supplement coverage and to negotiate prescription drug coverage options. 

More than 90 post-65 retirees received notices last month from Humana, UNC Health, and the county’s benefits administrator, AmWINS, alerting them to the changes. Local pharmacies also informed retirees they would no longer be in-network for prescription coverage.

Judy Brown criticized the county HR department and AmWINS for failing to monitor the plan and stressed the need to periodically rebid retiree insurance plans.

“Never should we enter into any type of health insurance plan that does not include our local providers and our local pharmacies,” Brown said.

Evan Quinn, a retiree from the Department of Social Services, highlighted the economic impact on independent pharmacies, which would be excluded under the current Express Scripts-administered drug plan. Quinn noted that this will force retirees to travel outside the county and threaten small businesses that contribute to the local economy. Local pharmacists echoed these concerns. 

Jennifer Byrd of Kenansville Pharmacy explained that independent pharmacies cannot compete with nationwide chains like Walgreens or CVS and often fill prescriptions at a loss due to pharmacy benefit managers’ practices. 

“The pharmacy benefit manager is pretty much the middleman between us and your insurance,” Byrd explained. “This is the person taking a piece out of the pie, that’s not really doing anything other than negotiating contracts.”

Byrd explained they fall under a group called EPIC, which handles contracts for thousands of pharmacies to negotiate contracts with different insurance companies and EPIC is no longer contracting with Express Scripts because of unsustainable reimbursement rates.

She illustrated the financial strain this places on local pharmacies, noting that filling prescriptions at below-cost rates forces them to absorb losses, sometimes as high as $50 per prescription.

“There’s no way for a pharmacy to stay in business and accept reimbursement rates below the cost,” she explained. Byrd urged decision-makers to consider these issues when selecting healthcare plans, suggesting that input from on-the-ground providers should inform plan decisions rather than relying solely on insurance agents.

“I’ve contacted our patients personally to let them know this information since Medicare open enrollment is currently going on from now until Dec. 7,” said Jennifer Knowles, a community pharmacist at REALO in Beulaville. “Patients must pick a plan during this timeframe.”

Knowles explained that local pharmacies losing county plan participation would also affect businesses that employ local residents.

“We have 18 employees in Beulaville and 15 employees in Wallace. I, along with the majority of REALO employees, reside in Duplin County, where we not only work, but we raise our families and are tied deeply to our communities,” Knowles said.

Semeka Perry, Duplin County Human Resources director, proposed moving post-65 retirees from Humana to United American, a plan previously offered by the county. This option allows Medicare Parts A and B to remain primary, while United American acts as a supplemental plan. The change would preserve retirees’ current providers and expand access to additional healthcare options.

Perry explained that retirees would pay $196.15 per month, with the county matching it, raising the county’s contribution from $16,595 to $18,241 per month. Perry emphasized that the immediate priority is ensuring retirees maintain access to their healthcare providers.

She acknowledged that the issue of prescription coverage with Express Scripts, which excludes locally owned pharmacies, had not been fully addressed. 

“Unfortunately, I was not in a place that I could actually make that change with the short timing that Humana and UNC healthcare provided,” said Perry. She admitted that neither she nor AmWINS had information about the drug plan changes. 

“AmWins was unable to provide any answers,” said Perry.

The county has scheduled a post-65 retiree informational meeting on Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the Ed Emory Auditorium to provide guidance on Medicare options and answer questions regarding the insurance changes. 

When the National Agricultural Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members on Oct. 23, it wasn’t just honoring individual achievement — it was recognizing the power of innovation to reshape an industry. Among the honorees was Wendell Murphy, the Rose Hill entrepreneur whose forward-thinking approach to pork production transformed American agriculture.

Murphy was honored with induction into the prestigious National Agricultural Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of historic icons such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and John Deere. Murphy was inducted alongside former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and antique tractor preservationist Michael Hinton, each recognized for their unique contributions to the agricultural landscape. 

“I’m feeling many emotions – gratitude, humility, and truthfully, disbelief,” said Murphy during his acceptance speech. “To be inducted into the National Agricultural Hall of Fame is an honor beyond anything I could have ever imagined. When I look at the names of those who came before me, I see pioneers of American agriculture – men and women who not only shaped our industry, but also our nation. To be counted among them feels almost unreal.” 

For Murphy, the honor reflected a lifetime devoted to changing how America raises and produces pork. 

“It is fair to say that no one in the history of U.S. agriculture has had a greater influence on swine breeding and raising swine than Wendell Murphy,” said NC Department of Agriculture Chief of Staff Zane Hedgecock. “Agriculture in North Carolina and the nation was changed for the better because of his vision.” 

Chartered by Congress in 1960, the National Agricultural Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose outstanding contributions have led to the advancement of American agriculture.