North Wake News

Governor Josh Stein has announced that 650,000 North Carolinians have gained access to affordable health care through Medicaid expansion. This achievement comes less than 18 months after the expansion's launch. The initiative has extended coverage to various demographics, including veterans and workers in essential sectors such as child care, construction, and hospitality.

Governor Stein stated, “Medicaid expansion shows what is possible when our state’s leaders come together in a bipartisan effort to serve North Carolinians.” He emphasized the program's role in maintaining public health and supporting businesses and rural communities. Furthermore, he underlined the need to protect Medicaid from potential federal budget cuts.

Since its inception on December 1, 2023, several significant milestones have been reached under the Medicaid expansion. More than 6.1 million prescriptions for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and seizures have been dispensed to new beneficiaries. Medicaid has also covered $86 million in dental service claims for the newly eligible expansion population. Additionally, over 233,000 individuals from rural areas have enrolled in the program, highlighting the expansion's impact on healthcare accessibility in less urbanized regions.

The expansion has also coincided with a decrease in overdoses across the state, with emergency department visits dropping by 29% and suspected overdose fatalities falling by 27% from 2023 to 2024. A broader range of behavioral health providers are now attending to Medicaid beneficiaries.

NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai remarked, “From a regular check-up, to specialized care for a chronic condition, to filling a prescription without worrying about high co-pays, getting health coverage is life-changing for people in every county.” He also noted that Medicaid facilitates the well-being of North Carolinians, helping them remain in employment and enjoy family life.

Incorporating the expansion, NC Medicaid now covers over 25% of the state's population, including over 3 million children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and other working adults. Despite broad-based support, Congress is contemplating substantial reductions to the Medicaid program, which could detrimentally impact health coverage, economic contributions, rural communities, and overall healthcare expenses in North Carolina.

The NCDHHS continues to furnish information on Medicaid eligibility and application procedures through its Medicaid Expansion webpage. Their Medicaid Expansion Dashboard offers insights into the program's effects across all 100 counties in the state. More details on the expansion and how to contribute to Medicaid safeguarding efforts are available at medicaid.nc.gov.