Democrats in NC legislature push for Medicaid expansion
RALEIGH — Energized legislative Democrats kicked off Wednesday their strongest push yet to expand Medicaid, seeking to remove North Carolina from the dwindling number of states still refusing a federal bargain to cover hundreds of thousands of additional residents.
House and Senate Democrats — their numbers growing after the November elections that diluted Republican control of the chambers — filed identical bills to accept Medicaid expansion provided through the 2010 federal health care overhaul.
“Now is the time to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and close the coverage gap,” Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue of Wake County said at a Legislative Building news conference, surrounded by party colleagues, including Sen. Ben Clark of Hoke County. “This is the most important bill that we can pass on behalf of our constituents this session,” Blue said.
Legislators began unveiling bills Wednesday, three weeks after their one-day organizational meeting to elect leaders.
GOP lawmakers passed a 2013 law essentially blocking expansion without their express approval. They still hold majorities in each chamber for the next two years, but Democratic gains eliminated veto-proof control, meaning Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic allies now have more leverage.
https://www.fayobserver.com/news/20190130/democrats-in-nc-legislature-push-for-medicaid-expansion
