In a round table discussion with Governor Roy Cooper and Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen this week, early childhood professionals from across North Carolina shared stories of how the health care coverage gap is negatively affecting their colleagues. Attendees expressed concern that too many early childhood educators without access to health care are living with and dying from preventable diseases, and they urged legislators to expand Medicaid.
“We place a lot of trust and responsibility in the hands of early childhood educators, and it’s heartbreaking to hear about how many of them can’t afford health care,” said Governor Cooper. “Our child care and pre-K teachers should be healthy so they can focus on preparing our children for lifelong learning, and it’s time we expanded Medicaid to help half a million North Carolinians access affordable health care.”
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