Medicaid Expansion Is Once Again a Dream Deferred

By Joel Gallagher

North Carolina has started the process of re-determining Medicaid eligibility. Medicaid eligibility has remained stable during the public health emergency period due to the COVID19 pandemic, but that is in the process of winding down. Other states across the US have gone through this same process and it has not been smooth. Many who are still eligible for Medicaid are being denied coverage, and we anticipate the same thing happening across North Carolina. We had hoped that Medicaid Expansion would be more solidified by now so that eligible North Carolinians could easily transition from traditional Medicaid to the Medicaid Expansion plan. But unfortunately, this is not going to be the case. Medicaid Expansion passed earlier this year, but it was tied to passage of the State Budget. Now, Medicaid Expansion is once again in limbo due to the failure of the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly to pass a budget.