McCrory on MSNBC: NC Medicaid "broken"

By Laura Leslie

Posted: February 22

In a appearance on MSNBC Friday morning, Gov. Pat McCrory reiterated his opposition to expanding Medicaid in North Carolina.

Next week, state lawmakers are expected to send him their measure banning the expansion of Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act.

A recent change of heart by Florida's Republican Gov. Rick Scott left some political observers wondering whether McCrory might change his mind as well.

McCrory said on MSNBC that's not the case, telling host Chuck Todd that the state's Medicaid system is "broken."

"Before I expand the system, I've got to fix the current system," McCrory said.

McCrory also talked about the potential effects of sequestration on the state and took the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments in his first six weeks.

"I owe the federal government $2.6 billion dollars for unemployment compensation. I owe the federal government that money," he said.

(Actually, the state's businesses owe the federal government that money. The state is not responsible for covering that debt.)

"So I cut some of the benefits and actually raised some of the fees on businesses, because they were only paying off the interest," he said. "I believe government, whether at the local, state,or federal level, has to pay off the credit cards."

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McCrory also weighed in on the increasingly strident tone of political debate and campaigns in both parties.

"People are looking for leadership. They're looking for problem-solvers. They're looking for hard workers," he told Todd. "They're not looking for whiners."

McCrory is in Washington for a meeting of the National Governors' Association.

14 Comments

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baldchip..yes, the Medicaid system needs repair. However, the way McCrory is going about it is just going to cause turmoil. There need to be cutbacks, but not 100%. The issue is that he is trying to make a statement when he needs to just be the Mayor that he was in that boat. The people making $522 per week are not ones taking advantage of the system! People like WageSlave have already taken a drop of more than 60% of their income, and now must take more of a hit, while McCrory's staff earns a pay raise..total BS. Why? This is not the Mayor McCrory leading us,. This is a Govorner catoring to his largest campaign contributors and using his power to move forward their work. If you are not familiar with the billionaire Art Pope..google his thoughts about education. Pope is the reason why McCrory went right after the UNC Liberal Arts classes. Next he will start trying to eliminate public schools as well..

ambassadorgray
March 1, 2013 12:57 p.m.

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CaryRez-did you expect moer tax and spend from this man!! He told you he was going to get rid of fraud and abuse-and Medicaide is full of abuse and fraud?? He wants to clean it up!! What is wrong with that??

Did you expect for him to continue the DemocRAT vote buying scheme called extended unemployment-and continue to pile up bills from the Fed???

What did you expect?? If it was more of the same corruption we've had for the last 100+ yeas, you did not do good research or something.

Pat is doing exactly what we expected him to do. Obama talkes about "shared sacrifice"-and raises taxes and spending!! Pat talkes about "shared sacrifice" and cuts spending and will redo the tax code to become competitive again!!

My vote says --- CARRY ON SIR!!

baldchip
February 25, 2013 2:37 p.m.

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McCrory appears to be going against what many of his Republican governors are doing. A recent article laid out how the meeting in DC shows that the Republican governors have realized that they must be more compromising and less obstructive in dealing with the Federal Government (see WRAL's "GOP Governors take a pragmatic turn.").

An excerpt from the article: "People may agree or disagree with my position on this social issue or that social issue, but as long as I'm not rubbing it in their face all the time and instead talking about jobs and balancing the budget in a way that's relevant to their lives, that's where the real focal point is," said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in an interview during the weekend's National Governors Association meeting.

uBnice
February 25, 2013 11:57 a.m.

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I hope gov pat is happy when come July 1st and there are more people filing for bankrupacy. I live in a mountain town with no jobs, I lost my job $55000 a year and can not find another. I am barely making it on my unemployment $522 a week. I will lose that come July and will not have the resources to pay my mortage let alone the necessities . And I definitely can't pay it on $7.25 an hour. So who will pick up my tab when I file bankrupacy so I can take a $7.25 an hour job to pay my light bill which is going up. ramseytam

No one will pay your tab. You have to change your way of living to reflect your income. If you have depleted your savings and have to sell your home to downsize then so be it.

Life is not obligated to give us what we expect.

WageSlave
February 25, 2013 9:53 a.m.

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The system is broken - we've all figured that out now. The real question is what are you, Mr. McCrory and the General Assembly, going to do about it? Complaining is easy, but now the ball is your court to do something. We are watching.

SaveEnergyMan
February 24, 2013 7:58 p.m.

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ramseytam
February 24, 2013 5:40 p.m.

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There is so much fraud in medicaid it is absurd. People routinely apply and open up there $400 purses to provide there "information" and other people who apply but normally would not qualify are "helped" by insiders(employees) or when they don't qualify and are placed on a sliding scale their insider helpers simply slide them to 0 pay for services and the taxpayers pick up the tab. There is probably about 25% of recipents who have medicaid that don't need or qualify for it. The expansion of medicaid since 08 was to buy votes. The Feds are broke and the States will eventually be overwhelmed with debt-that is those states that expand medicaid now with the "cookie" being offered by the Feds which is only good for 3 years and then gradually transfers the entire cost to the States. It is better NOTto expand iMedicaid and work on building the economy within this State.

tigo7
February 24, 2013 11:36 a.m.

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Governor, your decision to block Medicaid expansion in unconscionable. I'm a Democrat who took a chance and voted for you. I will not make that mistake again. My deepest apologies to all who will suffer. And, Governor, I promise you, I will work my heart out to help make sure you are not re-elected. Fool me once...

CaryRez
February 24, 2013 6:31 a.m.

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my mama: You said it right!

b4reelnow
February 23, 2013 9:23 a.m.

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Te average NC citizen loses and big businesses has won with this guy.

oldaltar
February 23, 2013 9:00 a.m.

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