US Flag with Department of Health and Human Services Seal (Image used under license from Shutterstock.com)
Anthony DeHart
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was in North Carolina on Friday to discuss health care issues and the state’s Medicaid expansion.
Secretary Becerra, Congressman Wiley Nickel, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and Kody Kinsley, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, gathered at Advance Community Health in Raleigh, N.C., for a roundtable discussion.
During the discussion, the group highlighted the impact of Medicaid expansion, noting that more than 350,000 individuals have enrolled in the program since its inception just over two months ago. An additional 600,000 people are eligible for the program.
Gov. Roy Cooper expressed his enthusiasm for the impact of Medicaid expansion on North Carolina’s working families. He highlighted the immediate benefits the program has provided to residents, saying “Medicaid expansion is the working families bill of the decade for North Carolina, and there are already almost 360,000 people benefiting from this health coverage who can see a doctor, get the prescriptions they need and stay healthy to provide for their families.”
Since Dec. 1, 2023, Medicaid has covered more than 265,000 prescriptions for new enrollees to aid in heart health, diabetes, seizures, and other illnesses and has paid out more than $4.8 million in claims for dental services. Becerra emphasized the importance of Medicaid expansion in covering these types of claims.
“Ensuring access to life-changing health care coverage is what Medicaid expansion is all about,” Becerra said. “North Carolina serves as an example to other states who have yet to expand Medicaid health care coverage, because Medicaid expansion can and will save lives.”
Bruce Ferrell contributed to this report.