North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion program signs up half a million individuals in 7 months

In a recent announcement, officials revealed that over 500,000 North Carolina residents have signed up for the state’s Medicaid expansion program since its launch seven months ago. Governor Roy Cooper, alongside North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley and two healthcare professionals, highlighted this achievement in a news conference as a significant milestone for the program. The initial target was to enroll 600,000 individuals in the Medicaid expansion within a two-year timeframe.

As of Friday morning, the number of enrollees stood at 503,967, according to the governor’s office. Medicaid expansion had been a long-standing objective for Cooper since he assumed office in 2017, and the bipartisan support from state legislators paved the way for the plan to extend coverage to more eligible adults, which officially began on December 1. Nearly 300,000 people had already enrolled in the first few weeks post-expansion. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the federal government covers 90% of the costs.

Expressing his unwavering commitment, Cooper stated, “We never, ever, ever gave up. And that’s why we’re standing here today.” Kinsley, during the news conference, shared that almost 2 million prescriptions have been filled for new Medicaid enrollees, particularly for chronic conditions like seizures and heart diseases. Additionally, there has been a surge in dental service claims under Medicaid following the expansion. Kinsley emphasized the importance of not only providing coverage but ensuring access to care for the enrollees.

Furthermore, Kinsley advocated for an increase in provider rates within the Medicaid program, a proposition included in Cooper’s budget proposal for the current year.