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Sign as a Business Leader

As a North Carolina business leader, I endorse the following statement:

We, as North Carolina business leaders, understand that a strong economy and a thriving workforce require healthy families. Right now, too many hard-working families are uninsured. In fact, about two-thirds of all uninsured adults in North Carolina work. They are construction workers, farmers, child care providers, and even veterans. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to achieve a bi-partisan solution to close the health insurance coverage gap. Now is the time to act. There are proposals on the table that would require no investment of state tax dollars and closing the gap would create an estimated 37,000 jobs and billions in economic activity. Much of this economic activity would benefit our rural communities and other areas most in need of an economic boost. Closing the health insurance coverage gap is a good deal for the health of North Carolina families and for our economy. We urge you to work together and achieve a policy solution that closes the health insurance coverage gap.

Business Leaders for Closing the Coverage Gap

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements listings or ads. Employer affiliation will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Mr./Ms./Mrs. John Doe, CEO, ABC Corporation*; Anytown, NC”.

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Sign as a Faith Community

Faith Leaders Addendum

As a North Carolina faith leader/ community of faith, I/we endorse the following statement:

We, as people of faith in North Carolina, believe that the Lord brings good news to the poor, binds up the broken-hearted, and comforts all those who mourn. We believe that when we work to ease the burdens of our neighbors who are struggling the most, we are caring for God. And, we believe we are called to follow our God by doing good, not only in the halls of our congregations, but by seeking justice in the wider world.

That means we cannot stand silent when presented with the opportunity to provide healthcare coverage for hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters. We understand that a community cannot flourish while its people lack access to affordable, quality healthcare. Healthy families are the bedrock of our communities of faith and of our local economies. Uninsured North Carolinians include members of our congregations, pastors, child care providers, farmers, construction workers, small business owners, neighbors, and friends. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to work together across bi-partisan lines to close the health insurance coverage gap for all of these children of God.

Signing Disclosure

By signing this statement you are granting permission to Care4Carolina to publicize your endorsement. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this public endorsement statement and will not be shared with any other entity. Personal contact information will not be shared in endorsement statements, listings, or ads. Employer information will be used for identification purposes only. For example: “Rev. John Doe, Pastor, ABC Church, Anytown, NC.”

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Sign as a Grassroots Group

As legislation progresses to enact a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap, it is critical that we have a grassroots team ready to mobilize. By signing up as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, you agree to activate your group/organization when action is requested during the campaign. Action requests may include but are not limited to reaching out to legislators, sharing posts on social media, and relaying information to other contacts.

Your work as a grassroots group/organization is essential to our efforts, and Care4Carolina appreciates your support in ensuring that our mission is achieved. Together, we will find a North Carolina solution to close the health insurance coverage gap.

*By signing on as a member of the Care4Carolina Grassroots Action Network, your group/organization’s information will not be shared externally. The information collected through this form is for internal use only.

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Will Federal Incentives be North Carolina’s “Tipping Point” for Closing the Coverage Gap?

March 23, 2021 by Hailey Gutzmer Leave a Comment

by Peg O’Connell

A while back, author Malcolm Gladwell wrote the book, “Tipping Point.” A ‘tipping point” is the time when the success of a new idea becomes inevitable and when an old idea slips away into oblivion. The only problem with a tipping point is that you have to be looking back to tell when or what made it happen.

Could we be at a possible tipping point for closing the coverage gap here in North Carolina?

The recently enacted federal American Rescue Plan COVID relief package includes new financial incentives for the states that have opted against expanding Medicaid to provide health coverage for more low-income Americans.  In case you have missed my last 38 blogs, North Carolina is one of only 12 remaining states that have failed to find a solution for closing the coverage gap and provide an affordable insurance option for working people. AUGH!

Under the relief plan, states that close their coverage gap under the new law will receive a 5-percentage point increase in the federal match rate for the entire Medicaid Program for two years.  This means that during “normal times,” the federal government would increase its match for the program from close to 67% to almost 72% for two years.  However, because we are in the middle of a public health emergency (COVID), the current match rate is almost 74%, so the incentive match rate would be close to 79%.  This is A LOT of money!

How much money?  Well, depending on estimates, it could mean an additional $1.7 to $2.4 billion to North Carolina over the next two years.  This would be in addition to other COVID relief funds that will come or have already come to the state AND the 90% match that the federal government has already offered to cover the cost of closing the coverage gap. 

North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services estimates the state’s cost for closing the coverage gap (that is the remaining 10%) would be $500 million annually. That means $700 million to $1.4 billion in additional funding will come to our state above and beyond the cost to close the coverage gap.  For those who say, “we can’t afford to close the coverage gap,” I say, “we can’t afford not to.”

Think of the things that could be done with this extra money, as the state recovers from COVID:  telehealth, increased broadband infrastructure, workforce development, more innovation slots for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities…The list is long and very worthy.

These new federal incentives are very generous and should make closing the coverage gap even more attractive to our policymakers.  Will this be the “tipping point” for North Carolina?  I hope so!

Category iconWinter 2020-2021 Series Tag iconAmerican Rescue Plan,  Coverage Gap,  Federal Government Stimulus Package,  Federal Incentives

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