North Carolina Democrats returned to the state legislature this week to call on Republican leaders to approve full funding for Medicaid. Democrats’ call for Medicaid funding comes after Republican leaders rejected North Carolina Governor Josh Stein’s order to hold a special session to strike a deal on Medicaid.
Despite Republican leaders rejecting the special session to fully fund Medicaid, a group of Democrats returned to Raleigh to call out House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) and Senate Leader Phil Berger’s (R-Rockingham) failure to reach an agreement. No Republican members from either legislative chamber were present on Monday, including:
HD 25 – Allen Chesser, Nash
HD 35 – Mike Schietzelt, Wake
HD 37 – Erin Pare, Wake
HD 62 – John M. Blust, Guilford
HD 73 – Jonathan L. Almond, Cabarrus
HD 74 – Jeff Zenger, Forsyth
HD 105 – Tricia Ann Cotham, Mecklenburg
SD 7 – Michael V. Lee, New Hanover
SD 11 – Lisa S. Barnes, Franklin, Nash, Vance
SD 34 – Chris Measmer, Cabarrus
“Democrats are here today to fight for what people in North Carolina need, which is Medicaid funding and a budget, things that are important to people,” stated Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake). “We’re here to fight for those things, and unfortunately, Democrats are the only ones here.”
Gov. Stein and Democrats are pushing to fully fund Medicaid, which supplies health care coverage to 3 million of the state’s 11 million residents. North Carolina health officials have said the state’s Medicaid program is underfunded by around $319 million.
According to NC Newsline, Medicaid cuts mean health care providers are receiving less money to care for North Carolinians enrolled in the program. Primary care doctors, dentists, hospitals, community care, and nursing homes are all dependent on the program’s funding, NC Newsline reports.
“We’ve got providers that are trying to figure out how they’re going to keep their doors open during Christmas,” House Democratic Leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham) told NC Newsline. “Yet we’ve got folks that will not sit down and have a conversation about passing a budget for North Carolina, like 49 other states have done.”
The current budget shortfall would heavily impact low-income North Carolinians, families, people with certain disabilities, and children, who rely on the health care coverage program. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care policy group, 2 in 5 children in North Carolina are Medicaid enrollees.
On top of the Medicaid funding gap, the state has gone over 140 days without a comprehensive state budget. Without a new budget, the state government will continue to operate on the same funding allocations as the previous year, leading to funding shortfalls that will impact teacher and state employee salaries, school budgets, and Medicaid.
“Not having a budget impacts food pantries, child care subsidies, healthcare, roads, teachers, teacher pay, and school counselors. I mean, the list goes on and on. Not having a budget is absolutely the most irresponsible way a government can be run,” stated Sen. Woodson Bradley (D-Mecklenburg). “ And now we’re the last state in the country that doesn’t have a budget.”
In a statement, Governor Josh Stein praised Democratic lawmakers who came back to push for the funding of Medicaid. The governor also condemned state Republicans’ lack of effort to respond to the needs of North Carolinians.
“Where are their Republican counterparts?” Gov. Stein said. “Patients and providers are already hurting due to the legislature’s failure to act, and now the Republican leadership is using them as a political bargaining chip in their own dispute among themselves. It’s totally wrong and a total dereliction of duty.”
For now, the timeline on state Republican leaders reaching a deal is unclear. State lawmakers are scheduled to return for a December session; however, the House and Senate Republicans have stated they do not expect to pass a budget until 2026.
“Right now, too many North Carolinian families are struggling to afford even the basics, including health care,” stated Sen. Terence Everitt (D-Granville, Wake). “To not come in and to not do our job is to turn our backs on them”.
