McCrory, Lawmakers Want To Block Medicaid Expansion

A state House committee has moved along a bill that would block any state-funded expansion of Medicaid.  The Health and Human services Committee voted to follow Governor Pat McCrory's lead saying that Medicaid should not grow to cover about half-a million uninsured residents.  States can expand Medicaid to help cover the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act..but they can also opt out of that expansion.   Governor McCrory said the program's budget is tight in a speech at the Emerging Issues Forum at N-C State yesterday.

Enlarge image

Credit Governor's Office / governor.state.nc.us

Pat McCrory

"In light of the recent Medicaid audits, the current system in North Carolina is broken and not ready to expand without great risk to the taxpayers including the business taxpayers and to the delivery -- which is my major concern right now -- of the current Medicaid services to the people who need it most right now," McCrory said.

The state Senate passed the expansion-blocking bill last week.  House leaders say the committee's passage Tuesday could bring it to the House floor for a vote as soon as Thursday.