Greensboro, NC
People living in Greensboro, NC can rely on The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store to help them find quality health insurance plans at affordable prices. Free rate quotes for residents of Greensboro, NC are just a phone call or click away. With all the recent changes to the Affordable Care Act, picking a health insurance plan can seem daunting. If you are living in Greensboro, NC or anywhere in North Carolina, The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store can help. Our friendly agents know all the ins and outs of enrolling in health insurance, and can help you find the coverage that is right for you and your family.
Greensboro, North Carolina is a beautiful southern town with roots reaching all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Although gorgeous foliage is abundant in Greensboro, NC, the town was not actually named after the leafy greens. The name, Greensboro, is a tribute to General Nathanael Greene, who led the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781. Some years later in the early nineteenth century, elected officials paid ninety-eight dollars for 42 acres of land and named the township after the eponymous patriot and war hero.
Even though Greensboro is named after a war general, rather than the lovely natural plant life that surrounds it, the area is certainly green enough to be named as such. With so much natural beauty, residents and visitors of Greensboro, NC can enjoy the gorgeous sights of places such as the Price Park Bird and Butterfly Meadow, where they can observe many different native species of butterflies, as well as many different kinds of local and migratory birds. The stream running through this park is also home to a wide variety of aquatic species of animals and plants, ensuring the maintenance of a well-rounded ecosystem in this area.
For those who have a passion for fauna and flora, and who want to learn all about it, the Greensboro Arboretum offers an impressive collection of plant life to study and admire. The Arboretum features several different permanent plant collections and beautiful gardens that display North Carolina’s wildlife alongside soothing fountains, gazebos, and bridges. Wetland ecosystems are also on display in Greensboro at the Bog Garden. Here, visitors can travel along an elevated boardwalk and take a tour of the bog and view all of the fascinating creatures and organisms that call it home.
Settlers migrated to Greensboro, NC from all over. German, Welsh, English, and Scotch-Irish immigrants adopted this place as their new home even before the settlement became officially known as Greensboro. Many Quaker settlers also chose this place as a home in the area’s history. In its early history, the area of Greensboro was first known as Capefair and was the site of one of the most important Quaker communities in the eighteenth century, which drew membership from as far away as Manhattan. This community also mothered several other Quaker-affiliated fellowships.
Since the late nineteenth century, Greensboro, North Carolina has been a thriving town, with a bustling economy and a cultural vibrancy. Although the city developed slowly over time, there is no denying that it eventually grew to wield great economic power in North Carolina. There was even some noticeable growth and construction during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Traditionally, the economy in Greensboro was focused around the furniture, tobacco, and textile industries. However, the railroad also played a significant part in the development of the local economy by allowing for the purchase and sale of goods outside of the town. Greensboro, NC is a vital urban center in North Carolina and plays a significant role in the culture and economy of the state as a whole.
The area of Greensboro, NC is bustling in more ways than one. The population of Guildford County, where Greensboro is located, is estimated to have grown almost 20% in the time period between 2000 and 2010. The estimated population of Guilford County in 2011 was over 495,000 people. This is a significant growth from the estimated number from 2010, which was just over 488,000 people.
The city of Greensboro, in particular, grew 20.4% between 2000 and 2010. Other towns and cities, such as Oak Ridge, Stokesdale, and Summerfield, have grown upwards of 48%. Experts claim that the overall population of cities in Guildford County will only continue to grow larger.
Guilford County is statistically unique compared to the rest of North Carolina. The county is very diverse, with about 41% of the population being made up of ethnic minorities, as compared to a 28.3% average minority population for the rest of the state of North Carolina. Guilford County is also very populous compared to the rest of the state. There are a little over 756 people per square mile in the county. Compare that to the North Carolina average of just over 196 people per square mile, and it is obvious that Guilford County is much more densely populated than other parts of the state.
Yet for all of the charm and diversity in the area, Greensboro, NC residents have historically struggled with getting access to health care, in particular finding affordable health care and health insurance plans.
It is estimated that about 79,000 residents over the age of 65 in Guilford County have absolutely no form of health insurance, and a little over twenty percent of adult residents ages 19-64 are also uninsured. Younger adults in Guilford County also are less likely to have regular access to a personal physician or health care provider, with 32.6% of residents between the ages of 18 and 44 reporting that they have no such access, as compared to 8.2% of people ages 45 and older reporting the same inability to access a regular physician.
A study by the Community Health Assessment of Guilford County from 2012-2013 found that access to clinical care, chronic disease prevention and management, and obesity prevention in children and adults were among the most vital health concerns in the area. Others top concerns included poor birth outcomes, access to healthy food, poverty, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Many of the health concerns facing residents can be alleviated by the purchase of a new, affordable health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act. For example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) now requires insurance carriers to cover certain minimum essential benefits, such as maternity coverage, in addition to offering coverage for certain preventative medical screenings at no additional cost.
Residents in Greensboro, NC can view the new health insurance plans offered under ACA and get an immediate health insurance quote from The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store. The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Store® offers free assistance in selecting insurance plans, getting insurance quotes and finding the most affordable health insurance to residents all across North Carolina.
Low income has historically been cited as one of the major reasons for a lack of access to health care in Guilford County. For residents of Guilford County who make less than $50,000 a year, over twenty-six percent report having no access to a regular doctor or other medical care provider, as compared to ten percent of wealthier residents (those who make $50,000 or more) facing the same issue. This evidence seems to suggest that income disparity has a huge effect on people’s access to medical care overall, which is correlated with an ability to afford health insurance.
However, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, residents of Greensboro, NC with lower incomes can now afford health insurance! The ACA allows the government to offer subsidy assistance (help paying for insurance premiums) to qualifying individual and families with incomes below 400% of the poverty level. Greensboro residents who previously received unaffordable, high health insurance quotes under pre-ACA insurance plans may now find insurance under the new healthcare law to be much more affordable, and coverage to be much more comprehensive! Simply contact one of the knowledgeable agents at The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store for assistance in selecting a health insurance plan and applying for Greensboro, NC health insurance subsidies.
While the town may have struggled with access to healthcare in the past, Greensboro, North Carolina has an overall thriving economy and is an important cultural center for the region. With a host of theaters, fine arts schools, music companies, and museums, Greensboro, NC is a major center for culture and art in North Carolina.
The city has long been the place to be for North Carolinians who want to express themselves through various mediums to work and settle. The city of Greensboro is full of destination highlights, such as: the School of Greensboro Ballet, which is one of the very few not-for-profit ballet schools in the country; Elsewhere Collaborative, which is an interactive “living museum” that hosts various kinds of collections and events; the Greensboro Opera Company, which astounds audiences season after season with lovely performances of classic operas; and the Weatherspoon Art Museum, which hosts an amazing collection of modern and contemporary art that is unmatched in the southeastern United States.
Another historical museum that visitors should be sure to check out is the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. This particular museum is put in the same building where the Greensboro sit-ins were held in 1960. Its mission is to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed in the name of civil rights and to commemorate those who participated in sit-ins and other demonstrations on behalf of equality for all Americans.
Greensboro, North Carolina is a much more spectacular place than people give it credit for—it’s sort of like the “sleeping giant” of cities. From the fascinating history and the thriving economy, to the fantastic natural resources and cultural vibrancy of the city, there is no better place in the world to call home than good ol’ Greensboro.
