RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership (IOPL) announced today another installment of its popular Hometown Debate series, focusing on various healthcare issues facing North Carolina today.

The debates will be co-hosted by IOPL and the respective Chambers of Commerce in each of the four host communities – Lexington, Rowan County, Greenville, and Henderson-Vance Chambers.

The locations and debate topics are as follows:

  • September 24 in Lexington at the 119 West Third Event Center – Medicaid expansion and transformation.
  • October 1 in Salisbury at the Norvell Theater – Health insurance access, affordability, and cost.
  • October 8 in Greenville at ECU’s Black Box Theater – Rural access to health care
  • October 17 in Henderson at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center – delivery of medical services

The debates begin at 7:00 pm and are free to the public.

“Few topics generate as much attention and passion as health care,” said John Hood, who chairs the IOPL board of directors. “These debates will help inform North Carolinians as we approach the 2020 election cycle — and showcase our political leaders engaging each other constructively on controversial issues.”

Panelists will include public officials and other regional public policy leaders. IOPL, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, first hosted debates in 2016 that featured candidates for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and State Treasurer. In subsequent years, the hometown debates have featured public education and constitutional amendments.

Spectrum News will air the debates in its entirety on www.spectrumlocalnews.com . An abbreviated version will also air on In Focus the following Sunday at both 11:30 am and 8:30 pm. Streaming coverage and online sources will also be available. Spectrum’s Loretta Boniti will moderate the debate.