RALEIGH, N.C. — Recently released figures indicate that over 600,000 individuals have signed up for North Carolina’s newly expanded Medicaid program for low-income residents, achieving the state’s target enrollment in roughly half the anticipated time, as reported by the governor’s office on Monday.

Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who has strongly supported the Medicaid expansion during his administration, referred to the enrollment success as a “monumental achievement.” He expressed that the initiative has provided more than 600,000 individuals with essential health coverage, giving them the ability to access healthcare services, obtain necessary medications, and manage ongoing health issues. “This is transformative for many,” Cooper emphasized in his statement.

Cooper is set to conclude his tenure at the end of the year due to term limits.

Despite facing years of resistance from the Republican-led General Assembly, the Medicaid expansion finally received bipartisan approval last year after Congress introduced financial incentives for states to participate. Under the new program, the federal government covers 90% of the cost associated with the expansion.

In the initial weeks following the launch of this program, 300,000 North Carolinians—half of the enrollment goal—joined the Medicaid expansion. North Carolina now stands alongside a select group of Southern states that have adopted the program.

According to the governor’s office, over one-third of those who have enrolled in the expansion hail from rural areas. Since the initiative began, approximately 4.1 million prescriptions have been dispensed for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, a reflection of the benefits brought by the new coverage provisions.