The Patients Union

08/09/2026

Atrium Health wants to take over WakeMed. We’ve seen in Asheville, NC what can happen when community hospitals are taken over by massive healthcare systems. Patients deserve answers.

Wake County Commissioners vote as soon as Sept 8.
Tell them NO: https://actionnetwork.org/events/wake-county-commissioners-mtg/?source=toolkit

07/09/2026

Woah, woah, woah! What’s happening here??

We’ve seen what can happen when community hospitals are taken over by massive healthcare systems. Patients deserve answers to all of our questions before decisions are made regarding the future of our hospitals.

Wake County, tell your commissioners to vote NO on the proposed Atrium takeover of WakeMed: bit.ly/WM-letter

07/09/2026

When a multibillion-dollar hospital chain comes into our community and promises us ✨big changes,✨ we need to know ALL the details.

Wake County commissioners, learn from other communities that have lost their care to large healthcare systems, and keep WakeMed under community control!

Sign the letter: bit.ly/WM-letter

06/09/2026

Western North Carolina patients: come build with us.

The WNC Local Patients Union is gathering again on Thursday, September 10!

We’re building a community where patients can support one another, share what we’re up against, and organize together for a healthcare system that puts people before profits.

This month, we’ll spend time getting to know each other and visioning what we want to build—and what it will take to win more dignified healthcare in Western North Carolina.

Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or just joined, you have a place at the table.

Thursday, September 10 | 6–8 PM�First Congregational Church, 20 Oak Street, Asheville
Dinner will be provided

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/wnc-local-tpu-member-meeting/?source=FB

Western North Carolina patients: come build with us.

28/08/2026

Beds, not bombs. Care, not cuts. Healthcare, not warfare. We’re proud to stand with National Nurses United to demand Palantir OUT of our hospitals, OUT of our communities!

24/06/2026

Have you ever hesitated to call 911 because of what the bill might be? 👇

Keith Ventimiglia is a paramedic. He knows you don't get to choose which ambulance shows up.

So when he couldn't move from sudden pain, he called.

Out of network. $6,800 bill. Taken to court. He won. Most people don't even know they can fight.

With looming federal cuts and changes to Medicaid, millions more will be asking the same question as Keith. Drop a 🚨 if this has happened to you.

Founding Membership is open now → https://vist.ly/58xru

17/06/2026

WakeMed belongs to the people of Wake County.

This is not just a hospital deal. It is a decision about who gets to shape the future of healthcare in North Carolina.

Today, Wake County residents have a voice in how WakeMed operates because County Commissioners appoint the board and oversee its governance on behalf of the public.

If this takeover moves forward, our community could lose meaningful control over one of our most important public institutions.

Hospital mergers across the country have too often meant higher costs and less local accountability, without clear improvements in care.

WakeMed should stay accountable to the people it serves.

Add your name to tell Wake County Commissioners: Vote NO on this takeover and protect community control of our hospital.

Sign here → https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/wakemed/?source=FB

Say NO to the proposed takeover of WakeMed by Atrium. Sign the petition today!

12/06/2026

Mission Hospital was once a trusted community institution.

Too many people in Western North Carolina have stories of delayed care, fear, grief, burnout, and feeling like something essential in our community has been lost.

Join us for an evening of mourning, solidarity, and hope.

This is not a protest. It is a space to gather, bear witness, and connect with others who believe healthcare should put people first.

June 29 • Asheville, NC: https://actionnetwork.org/events/mission-vigil/?source=FB

03/06/2026

When insurance companies deny care, many people don’t realize they have the right to fight back—and that appeals are often successful.

But the process can feel overwhelming, confusing, and stacked against patients on purpose.

That’s why The Patients Union is hosting a free online information session with a healthcare lawyer and fellow patients on how to appeal insurance denials, challenge unfair coverage decisions, and advocate for the care you need.

Whether you get insurance through work or through the ACA marketplace, this session is for you.

Online Sessions: June 8 + June 13 (register through the link in our bio🔗)