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Health exchanges / Medicaid expansion
North Carolina will have to decide whether to run a health insurance exchange or expand Medicaid in response to the federal Affordable Care Act. STATUS: The Senate approved a bill prohibiting Medicaid expansion or state involvement in health exchanges on Tuesday, Feb. 5. The full House gave final approval to the measure on Feb. 14. Senate lawmakers rejected the House version of the bill. However, Sen. Tom Apodaca said that a conference committee has met and resolved the differences. That measure has been approved by the House and Senate and signed by the governor. It is now law.
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the federal Affordable Care Act is legal, states have two big decisions to make. First, North Carolina must decide whether it will run or help run a health insurance market or allow the federal government to run the health care exchange. Second, the state much decide whether it will expand Medicaid to cover more people, as made possible by the federal health care law.
Before she left office, former Gov. Bev Perdue said the state would pursue a joint exchange with the federal government, but it appears now that decision will be reversed. Lawmakers in both chambers have filed bills to block North Carolina from participating in the exchanges. The same bills would keep the state from expanding its Medicaid program as allowed by law.
Bills and status:
The Senate has approved a bill prohibiting Medicaid expansion or state involvement in health exchanges on Tuesday, Feb. 5. The House Health Committee approved the Senate bill, making on technical changes to ensure that it would not threaten funding for the NC FAST computer system. The full House gave final approval to the measure on Feb. 14. Senate lawmakers rejected the House version of the bill. However, Sen. Tom Apodaca said that a conference committee has met and resolved the differences. That measure is expected to be approved by the legislature the week of Feb. 25.
Update (2/27/13): The bill has now cleared the House and Senate and is pending on Gov. Pat McCrory's desk.
Update (3/6/13): Gov. Pat McCrory has signed the bill and it has become law.
Related stories:
A bill headed to Gov. Pat McCrory would prohibit North Carolina from expanding Medicaid or participating in health exchanges created under the federal Affordable Care Act.
Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, says he voted against the bill that would ban Medicaid expansion because of potential problems at his local hospital.
The state House on Thursday sent bills to the Senate that would block an expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and allow transportation planners to study a controversial highway proposed in Garner.
The state House gave tentative approval Wednesday to legislation blocking the expansion of Medicaid and the development of an online health insurance exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act.
House Republicans say the state can ill afford to expand Medicaid coverage. Democrats say North Carolina is passing on federal funding that could be used to help the state's uninsured.
Despite pressure from doctors, Gov. Pat McCrory says North Carolina isn't ready to expand Medicaid or participate in state exchanges created by the federal Affordable Care Act.
Gov. Pat McCrory says he has concerns with a bill that would prohibit the state from expanding its Medicaid program and that he is talking to House leaders even as the Senate approved the bill Tuesday.
The North Carolina Senate moved forward Monday night with a plan to stop Medicaid from expanding under the Affordable Care Act.
Expanding Medicaid in North Carolina could help North Carolina pay for the state's settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over mental health services, advocates say. Lawmakers this week are pushing a bill that would prohibit expanding Medicaid as allowed under the federal Affordable Care Act.
The Senate Insurance Committee has approved a bill that would keep North Carolina from expanding Medicaid or participating in health care exchanges under the federal Affordable Care Act. The full Senate plans to vote on the bill Monday night.
Senate Republicans opened their session Wednesday with an effort to opt out of provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act set to take effect next year.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday awarded North Carolina $73.9 million to set up a state health insurance exchange under the national Affordable Care Act reforms.
North Carolina and the federal government will jointly run a new one-stop shop to help people buy affordable health insurance, Gov. Beverly Perdue said Thursday.
block Affordable Care Acy changes
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