Republican Lawmakers Leave Raleigh, Allowing Medicaid Cuts to Begin 10/1
Due to Republican inaction over the past few months, this week the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will have to implement cuts to Medicaid service providers. Those cuts are set to take effect this Wednesday, October 1st, unless lawmakers act. But Republican lawmakers have skipped town and have no plans to return for at least three more weeks.
“North Carolinians are about to be severely affected by Republican lawmakers’ inability to govern our state right now,” House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said. “Instead of staying in Raleigh to iron out a deal, they have adjourned us until late October. We should be here working on saving health care access instead of on vacations.”
As North Carolinians learn more about this impasse, it becomes clear that Republican lawmakers are too busy fighting with each other to govern our state effectively. Medicaid rebase funding is caught up in the larger disagreements that Republicans have with one another on a comprehensive budget, which is now three months overdue.
Coverage from around the state makes it clear the Republican impasse will have major impacts on North Carolinians:
Associated Press: “North Carolina Medicaid patients face a threat of reduced access to services — before separate changes approved within President Donald Trump’s spending-reduction law are implemented — as an impasse over state Medicaid funding extends further.”
WUNC: “You’d think in the two months since the legislature was last in session, House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger could have negotiated their differences and brought lawmakers back to Raleigh to pass bills that both chambers agree on.”
NC Newsline: “The NC House voted unanimously to increase funding for Medicaid. But because House and Senate Republicans disagree about a separate budget issue, Medicaid rate cuts are set to hit providers Oct. 1.”
WRAL: “North Carolina lawmakers have failed to approve the necessary state funding for Medicaid before the Oct. 1 deadline, risking higher medical bills and possible loss of coverage for tens of thousands of people.”
WTVD: “As state lawmakers remain without a deal on a new Medicaid budget, Gov. Josh Stein delivered pointed remarks Thursday afternoon, accusing state politicians of playing political games instead of coming to an agreement.”
The Assembly: “The state House and Senate passed separate bills to provide more funding for the Medicaid rebase, which is the amount of money needed to keep providing current service levels. But neither chamber took up the other side’s bill — talking past each other in a way that Gov. Josh Stein called ‘crazy.’”
Carolina Public Press: “October Medicaid funding deadline looms as Republican lawmakers in two NC legislative chambers disagree over children’s hospital proposal.”
