RALEIGH — After years of debate, North Carolina may finally be joining almost every other state in the country by expanding Medicaid coverage. Lawmakers led by Speaker of the House Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger announced Thursday morning that an agreement has been made.
The Senate has made modifications to a House bill and it is likely to move forward this year.
North Carolina is one of only 11 states that has not expanded the coverage since 2010. Expanding Medicaid will provide additional coverage to North Carolinians who might make too much money to receive federal healthcare benefits, but not enough to afford private insurance.
The North Carolina Medical Society thanks House and Senate leadership for reaching this compromise that promises improved healthcare for hundreds of thousands of people across the state.
The hard work of Senator Berger, Speaker Moore, countless other members of the legislature, and external stakeholders including NCMS has led to a huge step forward in access to quality healthcare.
The NCMS is looking forward to reviewing the final bill language so we can further comment on this proposal. Members are anxious to know how the bill addresses key issues to physicians and PAs including HASP, CON reform, and loan forgiveness for physicians in rural areas.
NCMS CEO Chip Baggett has been working on this issue and is happy to share the exciting news with members. Please take a moment and listen to his response here: