Briefing | Board of Commissioners | August 18, 2026

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a briefing on August 18, 2026, covering several key topics including support for a certificate of need hearing related to hospital bed expansions, legislative priorities for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and updates on employee health benefit offerings. The board expressed consensus to add a resolution supporting a nonprofit hospital's bed request to the upcoming agenda. They discussed legislative goals focusing on mental and behavioral health funding, state employee support, local taxing authority preservation, affordable housing initiatives, and farmland preservation, with an emphasis on advocating for increased state and federal resources. Additionally, the board reviewed proposed changes to the county's employee pharmacy benefit manager contract, including carving out GLP1 weight loss medications from the formulary to a direct-to-consumer savings program, projected to save the county approximately $566,000 annually. The discussion included details on co-pay structures, eligibility criteria, and anticipated impacts on employees. The board showed support for moving forward with these benefit changes and legislative advocacy efforts.