North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Health Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will implement a Medicaid expansion starting on Dec. 1, 2023, expanding the program to now cover over 600,000 North Carolina residents
With a new state budget in place, a majority of the expanded funds will go towards mental and behavioral care, a new pediatrics hospital, healthcare worker benefits, pregnancy centers and more. Not only does this help out rural areas of North Carolina, it also helps non-U.S citizens obtain access to medical care.
Although Cooper supported the Medicaid expansion within the new budget, he has made it clear that he believes the overall budget “Seriously shortchanges our schools, prioritizes power grabs, keeps shady backroom deals secret, and blatantly violates the constitution.”
Cooper will be passing this budget despite his disapproval as he believes the legislature has been neglecting North Carolina residents for far too long. “However, we must recognize this irresponsible legislature’s decade of refusal to expand Medicaid… so I am directing our Department of Health and Human Services to begin today the process for expanding Medicaid while allowing this budget to become law without my signature.” he said in a statement released Sep. 22.
Overall this aspect e of the budget will be impactful to many, especially to those who have struggled to gain access to medical coverage. Though the expansion will give residents opportunities and access to more clinics whilst giving healthcare workers incentives and modernizing healthcare techniques, it came at a high cost. In order to secure this win, the North Carolina democrats had to pass a budget that the party believes conflicts with the state’s overall priorities, particularly when it comes to teacher salaries and school budgets.
