CARY, NC (March 26, 2021) – The North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) is pleased to see Medicaid expansion included in Governor Cooper’s proposed budget. North Carolina is one of only 12 states that has not yet taken advantage of expanding coverage to thousands of low-income individuals and families in a manner mostly funded by the federal government.
The expansion would cover the gap between those who earn too much money to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford commercial insurance products.
“The coronavirus pandemic has shown the importance of all North Carolinians being able to benefit from lifesaving and affordable medical care. When individuals have health insurance, they are better able to receive preventative care, lowering costs for all,” said Steve Lawler, NCHA’s chief executive officer. “It’s time to look at the Medicaid expansion question with fresh eyes.”
The move would also ease a portion of the burden of uncompensated care provided by North Carolina hospitals, which amounts to more than $2.8 billion a year. If hospitals were able to recover a portion of these costs, they would invest in protecting mission critical services, developing new services to better care for patients and communities, and recruiting and retaining staff. Ultimately, this supports our collective commitment to design and deliver better systems of care to help keep individuals healthy and improve the health of our state.
“It’s time to for North Carolina to take this important step toward being a state where high-quality healthcare and coverage is equitable and accessible for all. This is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it,” Lawler said. “NCHA looks forward to working with the General Assembly members and the governor to make coverage for our underserved communities a reality under the new federal plan that will also bring over $2 billion in tax dollars back to North Carolina. We urge everyone involved to work to find common ground, put partisan politics aside, and focus on improving the health of state residents and our economy, especially in our rural regions.”
About NCHA
Founded in 1918, North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) is the united voice of the North Carolina healthcare community. Representing more than 130 hospitals, health systems, physician groups and other healthcare organizations, NCHA works with our members to improve the health of North Carolina communities by advocating for sound public policies and collaborative partnerships and by providing insights, services, support and education to expand access to high quality, efficient, affordable and integrated health care for all North Carolinians.
