Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger

A graphic with money in the background. Medicaid transformation graphic, prepaid health plan, medicaid expansion

Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot

January 24, 2020 by Sarah Ovaska

Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot - North Carolina Health News

With claims of conflict of interest and bias, bypassed managed care groups have gone to court to ask for a second shot at getting N.C. Medicaid’s managed care contracts.

By Sarah Ovaska While a move to switch Medicaid to a managed care system in North Carolina is on indefinite hold, several companies rejected by state health officials for lucrative managed care contracts are still vying for seats at the table. If N.C. Administrative Law Judge Tenisha Jacobs agrees with lawyers in her Raleigh courtroom […]

Shows text supporting Medicaid expansion that reads: The Graham County Commissioners strongly give their full support to Representative Kevin Corbin for House Bill 655... The Graham County Board of Commissioners understand that the majority of uninsured inividuals in North Carolina are employed, but do not make enough money to afford health insurance coverage."

Business leaders, conservatives across state warm to Medicaid expansion

October 3, 2019 by Rose Hoban

Business leaders, conservatives across state warm to Medicaid expansion - North Carolina Health News

In private, and increasingly in public, some are making their support for House Bill 655, which would allow for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, in defiance of the state party leaders.

By Rose Hoban Dale Wiggins thinks it’s time. Actually, he thinks it’s past due. Wiggins, a retired businessman, is the head of the Graham County Board of Commissioners, which recently sent a resolution of support for expanding the state’s Medicaid program to legislative leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper. The unanimous resolution, signed by four Republicans […]

man stands amid a crowd of people taking notes and holding microphones

Lawmakers strong-arm over budget, Medicaid expansion, but come up empty-handed

July 10, 2019 by Rose Hoban

Lawmakers strong-arm over budget, Medicaid expansion, but come up empty-handed - North Carolina Health News

The two issues became increasingly intertwined at the legislature, where movement on one issue can’t come without movement on the other.

By Rose Hoban After years of trying, a group of moderate Republicans in the state House of Representatives finally held a committee hearing on expanding the state’s Medicaid program to cover about a half million additional low-income residents. In a lopsided 25-6 vote both Republicans and Democrats moved the NC Health Care for Working Families […]

shows a building entrance to Randolph Health facility. The general assembly threw a lifeline to the financially strugglig Randolph hospital this week.

Legislators offer lifeline to rural hospitals drowning in debt

June 27, 2019 by Taylor Knopf

Legislators offer lifeline to rural hospitals drowning in debt - North Carolina Health News

Randolph County hospital in Asheboro would likely be the first beneficiary of a new rural health care loan program.

By Taylor Knopf and Rose Hoban There’s a hospital in the middle of the state that’s about to go under, and it has a lot of people concerned. Some of them are at the General Assembly, where the Senate leader introduced a bill late in this session to establish a state-funded loan program for struggling […]

legislative leaders stand at, around a podium. But they're not talking about Medicaid expansion

New General Assembly budget includes many health care features, but no Medicaid expansion

June 26, 2019 by Rose Hoban

New General Assembly budget includes many health care features, but no Medicaid expansion - North Carolina Health News

The $24 billion plan gives teachers and state employees a pay boost, but it leaves out one of Gov. Cooper's primary priorities.

By Rose Hoban After several weeks of negotiations between the North Carolina Senate and the House of Representatives, the two chambers came together Tuesday to present a compromise budget they’ll be sending to Gov. Roy Cooper for his signature. But it’s likely Cooper will be vetoing it. For months, the governor has signaled that he […]

Report updates estimates on potential Medicaid expansion benefit

June 26, 2019 by Rose Hoban

Report updates estimates on potential Medicaid expansion benefit - North Carolina Health News

A study commissioned by two of North Carolina's largest health care foundations examines the potential benefits of expanding the Medicaid program.

By Rose Hoban About 634,000 people could benefit if North Carolina expanded the Medicaid program to cover more people, according to an updated report released today on the effects of the policy. The report, commissioned by two state foundations and completed by economists from George Washington University, says that Medicaid expansion would inject about $11.7 […]

shows the front of the legislative building in Raleigh, general assembly

State senators unveil their budget, negotiations can begin

May 29, 2019 by Taylor Knopf

State senators unveil their budget, negotiations can begin - North Carolina Health News

The $23.9 billion dollar spending plan was rolled out Tuesday morning in a high-level summary, the real numbers followed later that day.

By Taylor Knopf and Emily Davis State Senate leaders rolled out their two-year budget proposal for North Carolina on Tuesday, highlighting several health care provisions. State senators want to address mental health needs by funding a psychologist for every North Carolina school district, adding additional money for addiction recovery treatment, and by adding staffing and […]

a crowd of people stand behind an african american man who stands at a podium, speaking

Democrats start legislative session by calling for expanded Medicaid

January 31, 2019 by Rose Hoban

Democrats start legislative session by calling for expanded Medicaid - North Carolina Health News

House minority leader Darren Jackson called extending the state-federal program’s benefits Democrats’ “number one priority.”

By Rose Hoban In a much-anticipated move, members of the General Assembly’s Democratic caucus filed bills in both the state Senate and House of Representatives to expand Medicaid, the health care program that covers many low-income North Carolinians. Since the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Democrats have been frustrated in their desire to get […]

Plan to Peg State Employee Health Plan Prices to Medicare Rates May Face Legislative Opposition

November 30, 2018 by Mark Tosczak

Plan to Peg State Employee Health Plan Prices to Medicare Rates May Face Legislative Opposition - North Carolina Health News

Republican members of the state House of Representatives are floating a bill that would prevent the State Health Plan from making any changes to how it reimburses doctors and hospitals until 2022.

By Mark Tosczak, with reporting by Rose Hoban State Treasurer Dale Folwell wants to cut spending on state employee health care by tying fees the State Health Plan pays to Medicare rates. When he announced the plan in late October, groups representing hospitals and physicians protested, saying it would strip millions of dollars in revenues […]

map showing fewer states now have not chosen to expand Medicaid, only 14 holdouts remain

Medicaid expansion on the horizon? Or still out of reach?

November 9, 2018 by Sarah Ovaska

Medicaid expansion on the horizon? Or still out of reach? - North Carolina Health News

Tuesday's election brought more Democrats, who want to expand the joint state-federal program to Raleigh. But their ability to make that happen is limited.

By Sarah Ovaska-Few Now that some of the dust has settled after Tuesday’s election, the big question for many in the state’s health care community is whether North Carolina will expand Medicaid. Here’s the unsatisfactory answer: Maybe, maybe not. Tuesday’s elections brought significant change to the balance of power in the N.C General Assembly. Republican […]

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