The Republican leadership in the N.C. Senate in Raleigh unveiled their proposed 2019-21 state budget Tuesday that — as expected — does not expand the state’s Medicaid program.
The possibility of expanding Medicaid to add between 450,000 and 650,000 North Carolinians is arguably the most contentious legislative issue at present. Expansion would allow many of those residents to be covered by health insurance, giving them access to affordable primary physician care and reduce the dependency on hospital emergency-department services.
The program already serves 2.14 million North Carolinians, representing about 21% of the state population. About 1.6 million will be enrolled in managed care under a federal waiver.
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