WNC health leaders 'excited' to see NC Senate approve state's Medicaid expansion
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — North Carolina state Republican senators voted Wednesday, June 1 to approve taking billions in federal government funds to expand the state’s Medicaid program and help more working poor families get health care.
Although the vote had bipartisan support, for years it’s been the Republican majority in both houses that refused to expand the program which was part of Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act options. When a federal judge ruled states could refuse to accept the expansion, North Carolina remains one of twelve states that didn’t expand Medicaid.
“I think everyone wants to have insurance,” said Kevin Ray, administration director for Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries Health Clinic, located at 155 Livingston Street in South Asheville. “A lot of our people are hard-working, and they're in jobs that just don’t offer the benefits they need.”
GOV. COOPER'S ADMINISTRATION DELIVERS NC MEDICAID EXPANSION PITCH
Ray, who also supervises the clinic’s many volunteers, said Buncombe County has 20,000 uninsured adults. The clinic offers healthcare for working families who qualify and provides them free care. The Medicaid expansion now under review by state leaders would potentially let 500,000 more North Carolinians qualify for federal Medicaid insurance.
The expansion would also raise the maximum annual income per person to $20,000 to qualify. The federal poverty level per person is around $13,000.
“We're really excited it’s on the table,” said Jackie Kiger, Pisgah Legal Services Chief Operating Officer. “Medicaid is one of the critical federal safety net programs across our country.”
It’s why Kiger and other advocates are hopeful this time Republican-led state leaders will accept federal funds in the billions of dollars that will cover 90% of the costs for the expansion.
“Medicaid is also an insurance provider that will bring more insurance payments,” Kiger said. In other words, Kiger said the federal government will provide reimbursements to pay for healthcare services for people who couldn’t qualify before.
NC MEDICAID EXPANSION PANEL EYES WORKER SHORTAGES, HOSPITALS
Free clinics like ABCCM’s have always helped those who couldn’t afford healthcare. The center that saw over 9,000 patients in 2021 has about 30 doctors who volunteer their time. Some of those patients could qualify for Medicaid if the state chooses to expand. The bill now goes to the House for review and a vote.
The leader of Blue Ridge Health, a federally funded consortium of 50 clinics, supports the expansion.
“It would help Blue Ridge Health patients get insurance,” said Richard Hudspeth, CEO of Blue Ridge Health. “We have about 45,000 patients, and about half of them are uninsured or underinsured. We know from the experiences of Community Health Centers (CHC) in other states, that CHC patients become eligible for Medicaid. We don’t have influence on how much a patient may need to pay for an MRI or a hospitalization for chest pain. Medicaid expansion would provide insurance for these other services, so patients wouldn’t need to delay or avoid getting necessary medical services because they can’t afford it.”
