Clinics sour on CMS after agency scraps 10-Year primary care program only months in

By: Andrew Jones, KFF Health News

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: February 9, 2026

Words: 1,408

Last Updated: 3 weeks ago

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CELO COMMUNITY, N.C. — On a 15-degree morning in January, a clinic in this small community on the northern edge of Pisgah National Forest began to fill up with patients.

An older couple in flannel pajamas sat together in the waiting room. A toddler waved as Patricia Hall walked past him, a stethoscope draped over her neck. The family physician waved and smiled back.

But in the privacy of a conference room, her mood shifted. …

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