NCACC Statement on HB 149 - Expanding Access to Healthcare | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) supports passage of House Bill 149 - Expanding Access to Healthcare, as passed by the NC Senate on June 2, 2022.

    Every two years, in the months preceding a long session of the General Assembly, the NCACC determines the legislative goals it should pursue in the best interest of all 100 counties. This is a thorough and deliberative process designed to allow for input from as many county commissioners, county officials and stakeholders as possible. NCACC strives to maximize participation from counties in order to reach agreement on goals that are important to all members of this statewide organization.

    In January 2021, counties came to a consensus on a number of legislative goals, including the following statement related to Medicaid: "Support continued state funding of Medicaid and support efforts to close coverage gaps."

    Continued state funding and closing the coverage gap in the state Medicaid program would reduce rising healthcare-related economic pressures at the local level, increase the availability of care for patients, and help struggling rural hospitals, which were hit particularly hard during the recent pandemic.

    House Bill 149 - Expanding Access to Healthcare - specifically the version passed by the NC Senate on June 2, 2022 and the provisions related to closing the Medicaid coverage gap - is the first bill to pass either chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly that fulfills NCACC legislative goals on this topic. Therefore, the NCACC supports passage of this version of the bill and related provisions.


   Contact: NCACC
   Email: communications@ncacc.org