Medicaid Momentum: Leaders Urge Legislature to Close Coverage Gap, Rural Hospital CEOs Discuss Expansion at Roundtable | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

Additional resolutions have been passed supporting Medicaid expansion, including UNC Health Care, Watauga County Board of Commissioners, and Durham County Hospital Corporation

Read resolutions from health care and business leaders

    Fayetteville Observer: Our View: Conservatives back Medicaid expansion

    By Fayetteville Observer Editorial Board

    May 4, 2019

    As some of our state's legislative leaders continue their opposition to expanding Medicaid to cover the "working poor," there's growing evidence that they're out of step with many of their constituents - even the conservative ones.

    The NC Fund for a Conservative Future last week unveiled a statewide poll of registered voters that showed 72 percent support for Medicaid expansion - which, under the Affordable Care Act, would be underwritten almost entirely by federal money.

    [...]

    House Bill 655 - NC Health Care for Working Families - is sponsored by Forsyth County Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Republican, and it continues to gain support.

    [...]

    At a press conference last week, New Hanover Rep. Holly Grange, a Republican co-sponsor of the bill, said, "Hard-working families in North Carolina are being left behind by a broken health care system. These families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private health insurance."

    That gap has long been there, and as Grange noted, it affects a quarter of all veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan living in this state.

    There has never been a good reason why Medicaid shouldn't be expanded, other than hardball politics. We hope that is no longer the game plan and that this year, the General Assembly moves to help all of its residents maintain good health.

    [...]

    Read the full story HERE.




    Rocky Mount Telegram: Rural hospitals push expansion of Medicaid

    By Amelia Harper

    May 3, 2019

    Nash UNC Health Care CEO L. Lee Isley recently took part in a roundtable discussion concerning Medicaid expansion with Gov. Roy Cooper in Raleigh.

    Isley was one of seven chief executives of rural hospitals who met last week with Cooper and state Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen to voice their support for North Carolina to close the health care coverage gap as soon as possible.

    [...]

    "Closing the health care coverage gap would be a boost for rural communities," Cooper said. "Expanding Medicaid will help thousands of North Carolinians get access to affordable health care, invest billions of dollars in our economy and create thousands of good-paying jobs."

    Expanding Medicaid could provide critical health and economic support to North Carolina's rural communities, where nearly 30 percent of low-income residents are uninsured, according to a press release from the Governor's Office. Rural communities have higher rates of preventable disease, alcohol and drug use, injury, teen births and overall mortality than urban communities.

    Medicaid expansion would boost North Carolina's economy by $4 billion and create over 13,000 good-paying jobs in rural counties within five years, the press release said.

    The health care coverage gap hurts rural hospitals, which already struggle financially to stay open. Four of North Carolina's rural hospitals have closed since 2014 and 40 percent of the state's remaining rural hospitals run on budget deficits.

    [...]

    "We appreciate that Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen recognize the challenges that rural hospitals face and are working with us to improve health care across our state. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to voice our concerns and ideas for improvement. We remain very supportive of closing the Medicaid coverage gap for North Carolinians and providing residents with more opportunities to receive primary care," Isley said.

    The Board of Commissioners of Nash UNC Health Care also adopted a resolution last week that "encourages the governor and General Assembly to make the health of every community in North Carolina a priority by supporting each of these policies either through legislation or policy changes."

    [...]

    Read the full story HERE.




    Wilmington Biz: Dosher Weighs In On Medicaid Expansion

    By Vicky Janowski

    May 3, 2019

    Dosher Memorial Hospital joined several other rural hospitals recently to support expanding Medicaid coverage in North Carolina.

    The hospital provides an estimated 2,500 emergency room visits to uninsured patients annually, resulting in nearly $8.8 million in uncompensated care and about $760,000 in charity care, according to a resolution Dosher's board of trustees adopted.

    "... expanding Medicaid coverage would extend insurance to approximately 500,000 people across North Carolina, including many residents of Brunswick County," the resolution stated. "... closing the coverage gap would create 43,000 new jobs in North Carolina and generate billions of dollars in new North Carolina business activity."

    [...]

    Thirty-seven states have adopted Medicaid expansion, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that studies health care issues. Of those states, three have adopted the expansion but not yet implemented it.

    Gov. Roy Cooper would like to see North Carolina join the list.

    He held a roundtable in late April with leaders of seven hospitals on the issue, an event that included Dosher's CEO and president Tom Siemers.

    [...]

    And then there is the fact that Senate Republican leaders remain staunchly opposed to any Medicaid expansion move, pointing to the impact on current Medicaid enrollees and calling it unsustainable.

    The bills have not come to the Senate floor, and if they actually gain traction could get worked out in conference committees in May or June, estimated Sen. Harper Peterson, D-New Hanover.

    "It's probably the most important piece of legislation we could pass," he said.

    [...]

    Read the full story HERE.


  • Contact: Ford Porter
  •     govpress@nc.gov

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