Senate Bill 978, which advanced out of the Senate Health Care Committee Thursday, would cap compensation for chief executives of nonprofit hospitals at 400 times that of the lowest-paid worker. The bill was introduced in late April, as a proposed merger between WakeMed and Atrium Health was being formulated, and made public in early May. The deal has drawn scrutiny and calls for more oversight from state and local officials, including several who warn it could raise the cost of care for some patients. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, a co-chair of the healthcare committee, said the state should have a say in what nonprofit hospitals pay their executives because they don't pay property, income or sales taxes. “Taxpayers in North Carolina are basically shareholders in a not-for-profit [hospital],” Bergin, the bill’s primary sponsor, said Thursday. That means we are basically maki…

By that math, WakeMed CEO Donald Gintzig, who was paid about $1.9 million in 2024, would still have plenty of room for a raise. Asked about that, Burgin said: “You need to, you need to look at the other side of that equation. Who makes $26 million dollars?” Gene Woods, the CEO of Atrium and its parent company Advocate Health, made about $25.8 million in 2024. Advocate — one of the largest hospital systems in the nation — raised its systemwide minimum to $18.85 per hour this year. Based on a 40-hour work week, that’s about $39,200 per year. By that math, Woods’ pay could be cut by about $10.1 million if this bill became law. An Atrium spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A WakeMed spokesperson didn’t immediately provide a comment on the compensation portion of the bill. The bill originally would’ve given state officials new powers to stop s…