Wake County commissioners delay decision related to WakeMed’s merger with Atrium
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Commissioners unanimously delayed the decision for up to 90 days.
- WakeMed and Atrium proposed Atrium appoint six board members.
- WakeMed said the merger would bring $2 billion and 3,300 new jobs to Wake County.
Wake County commissioners delayed a decision Monday related to a proposed merger of WakeMed Health and Atrium Health following pushback from numerous state and local officials.
The proposed merger was first announced to the public Friday afternoon via a news release. A vote was scheduled for Monday’s Wake County commissioner meeting to amend WakeMed’s articles of incorporation as well as a transfer agreement.
By Sunday, officials, including State Auditor Dave Boliek, started publicly voicing their concerns about the speed of the decision and effect a merger could have on affordable healthcare, The News & Observer reported.
The amendment was on Monday’s consent agenda, which typically consists of non-controversial items that can be voted on together, without discussion. An item can be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately if a commissioner requests it.
That’s what Commissioner Vickie Adamson did Monday, and commissioners unanimously agreed to remove it from the consent agenda. Adamson then moved to delay the county’s decision for up to 90 days, which was again unanimously approved by commissioners.
Chair Don Mial acknowledged that the county, however, doesn’t have the legal authority to stop the merger.
“The Board made this decision to provide time for the hospitals to engage with the community about the merger,” he said.
What proposed merger would look like
WakeMed has said the merger would result in a $2 billion investment in the health system, redeveloping and expanding its facilities in Raleigh and Cary, and would create 3,300 new healthcare jobs in Wake County over the next five years, The News & Observer previously reported.
“We cannot continue to go it alone,” said WakeMed CEO Donald Gintzig on Monday, especially while facing federal, state and other cuts.
Wake County’s decision around the merger means changing who appoints six of WakeMed’s 14-member board of directors.
Now, Wake County commissioners appoint eight members. Six more are appointed by WakeMed’s board, but they have to be nominated by a board member who was not appointed by the county.
WakeMed and Atrium proposed to change the rules so that Atrium appoints those six board members.
The board of commissioners’ decision also confirmed that its eight appointees must live within Wake County.
“WakeMed’s requested action is just the first of many in a detailed process that involves the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice,” wrote county spokesperson Dara Demi in a statement Monday.
Boliek agreed with the commissioners’ decision in a statement Monday after the vote.
“There are several concerns that need to be addressed, and the people of Wake County and North Carolina deserve time to learn about and discuss the proposed transaction,” Boliek wrote in the statement. “A structural shift of this scale must be met with full transparency.”
WakeMed and Atrium Health plan to hold a press conference Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at WakeMed’s Raleigh campus “to share information, answer questions, and address any misconceptions,” according to a press release.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:29 PM.
