North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is throwing his support behind Medicaid expansion, saying he plans to file an amendment by Friday to accept federal funding, according to a Charlotte Business Journal report.
The governor, who took office this month, made the pledge Wednesday at the Economic Forecast Forum in Durham, N.C.
"It is common sense for North Carolina to keep its options open as we go into this new healthcare arena under a Trump presidency," he said, according to the report.
The pledge comes as Mr. Trump, along with members of Congress, has vowed to repeal and replace the ACA. Under the health law, the federal government would provide 95 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion, leaving North Carolina responsible for the remaining 5 percent.
Given that sum, Gov. Cooper urged hospitals to "step up and be willing to place among themselves mandatory assessment in order to provide the 5 percent," reports Charlotte Business Journal.
In response to the governor's pledge, the North Carolina Hospital Association expressed support for Medicaid expansion, but also noted the complexities involved.
"North Carolina hospitals and health systems strongly support expanded insurance coverage, inclusive of Medicaid expansion, to provide essential health coverage for North Carolinians. Given the complexity of the issue and the process, we believe coverage expansion can only happen through a bipartisan, collaborative effort. We are prepared to work with the governor, the general assembly, and our members of Congress to achieve this goal," the association said in a statement.
State leaders who have refused to expand Medicaid have not been as supportive of the idea. In fact, the state's Republican-dominated legislature approved legislation in 2013 that bars the executive branch from expanding the program, reports The News & Observer.
Gov. Cooper said in a news conference this week that the law impinges on "the core executive authority of the governor to accept federal funds to look out for the health of the people," according to the report. He added that rather than end up in a court dispute, he hopes that legislators "will be receptive or at least let us do it without trying to stop us."
But North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) released the following statement against Mr. Cooper's plan:
"Just days into his term as governor, Roy Cooper already intends to violate his oath of office with a brazenly illegal attempt to force a massive, budget-busting Obamacare expansion on North Carolina taxpayers. Cooper is three strikes and out on his attempt to break state law: he does not have the authority to unilaterally expand Obamacare, his administration cannot take steps to increase Medicaid eligibility and our Constitution does not allow him to spend billions of state tax dollars we don't have to expand Obamacare without legislative approval."
Sen. Berger went on to say that legislative leaders plan to ask Congress and CMS to disapprove Gov. Cooper's plan.
More articles on finance:
OIG: New Jersey falsely claimed nearly $95M in Medicaid reimbursement
Vail Valley hospital expands financial assistance eligibility
MACRA and the referral management imperative