(Re)Align Wilson - 2026 Healthcare Forum

Join us on Thursday, February 26 from 9–11 a.m. at the Eagles Center for the inaugural (Re)Align Wilson Issues Forum, a new event designed to bring our business community together around one critical policy issue at a time.
 

While our new Align Wilson Conference in the fall will take a comprehensive look at the full spectrum of our policy priorities, (Re)Align offers a deeper dive into a single issue that directly impacts local businesses. Our first forum will focus on healthcare — a top concern for employers of all sizes.
 

The morning will feature three key components:
 

We’ll begin with an update on the Chamber’s Business Healthcare Landscape Survey from Dr. Christine Kowalczyk of the ECU Bureau of Business Research. Made possible through a grant from the Healthcare Foundation of Wilson, this survey is nearing completion and will provide valuable, data-driven insight into the healthcare challenges and needs of our local business community. Dr. Kowalczyk will walk attendees through the survey’s methodology and explain how the results can inform future advocacy and solutions.
 

Next, Emma Halstead of Blue Cross NC and Steve Garris of the NC Chamber will introduce Carolina HealthWorks, an innovative health insurance option designed to help small businesses access more affordable coverage. Attendees will learn how this model works and what it could mean for cost savings and coverage options for employers in Wilson and across the state.
 

The final portion of the forum will be an interactive engagement session, giving attendees the opportunity to share feedback, discuss challenges, and help shape how the Chamber and community partners respond to healthcare-related business needs moving forward.
 

If healthcare costs, access, and employee coverage are on your radar, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.