The North Carolina Healthcare Association delivered a proposal to the state General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper calling on the lawmakers to quickly pass Medicaid expansion, according to a Sept. 16 news release.
The proposal is in response to the state Senate's passage of House Bill 149, which addresses expanding access to healthcare and a stall in negotiations between the Senate and House on Medicaid expansion.
According to the proposal, health systems and hospitals would fund a majority of expenses for 600,000 North Carolinians at an estimated cost of over $550 million per year, in addition to absorbing a minimum projected loss in revenue of more than $700 million as a result of modifying certificate of need laws involving ambulatory surgery centers. The proposal also suggests that the state repeal certificate of need laws for psychiatric inpatient beds and chemical dependency beds.
North Carolina Healthcare Association Board Chair Roxie Wells, MD, said association members are offering to invest over $550 million annually to make expansion a reality.
"We are putting a lot of trust in legislative leaders to do this correctly. If this policy damages access to local healthcare services, we hope that government leaders will find the resources to preserve crucial healthcare services and facilities, including safety-net services that North Carolinians rely on," said Dr. Wells.
North Carolina is one of only a dozen states that has not expanded Medicaid.