STATEMENT: We are thrilled that North Carolina will finally launch Medicaid expansion on December 1

RALEIGH (September 25, 2023) – The North Carolina Justice Center is thrilled that our state has, at long last, set a December 1 launch date for Medicaid expansion. After 10 long years, over 600,000 North Carolinians are now finally guaranteed a path to health coverage and will no longer have to live in fear of getting sick and facing medical bills they can’t afford.

We thank Governor Cooper and lawmakers at the N.C. General Assembly for their bipartisan efforts to expand Medicaid. Together, they demonstrated that healthcare is a priority that crosses party lines.

We also celebrate this moment with all the supporters who joined us in the fight to make sure Medicaid expansion goes live this year, including people in the coverage gap, families who lost loved ones, grassroots advocates, community organizers, and partner organizations. You all had a direct hand in making expansion a reality in North Carolina.

However, we also mourn the loss of the thousands of North Carolinians who did not live to see the December launch of Medicaid expansion. Their lives remind us that our most vulnerable neighbors are the ones who most heavily experience the real-world consequences of legislative inaction and a lack of investment in the people of North Carolina.

As we plan for the future, the NC Justice Center is looking forward to supporting Medicaid expansion by hosting enrollment events across the state and sharing information that will help all eligible North Carolinians get covered. As always, we are committed to continuing the fight to ensure that people across our state can get the high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive health coverage they need and deserve.

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