Special to IFN
RALEIGH — More than half a million North Carolinians have now enrolled in Medicaid expansion since the program began seven months ago. Beneficiaries are now able get the quality health care they need at low cost.
Gov. Roy Cooper was joined by N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley, Dr. Karen L. Smith, a family physician in Raeford, and Verlina Lomick, director of community outreach & advocacy for Kintegra Health, and health care advocates to celebrate reaching this milestone, which had originally been projected to take as long as two years.
“People across our state continue to feel the positive impact in their lives with access to affordable health care coverage,” Cooper said. “They can now see a doctor, get preventative care, manage chronic conditions and get life-saving prescriptions without the burden of high premiums or co-pays. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services along with the many community partners supporting enrollment efforts have done a remarkable job to reach half a million North Carolinians in such a short amount of time, and we’ll keep working to enroll more people. ”
Since December 1, 2023, new Medicaid enrollees have filled more than 1.9 million new prescriptions for conditions like heart health, diabetes, seizures and other illnesses. Medicaid has also covered more than $28.6 million in claims for dental services since expansion began. And as of Friday, 503,967 North Carolinians have enrolled in Medicaid expansion.
The state will soon launch a Medicaid Expansion Service Utilization Dashboard to provide more insights into the health services new Medicaid enrollees use. The new dashboard will show monthly service trends since expansion launched in December 2023, including the number of people accessing doctor and dental visits, cancer screenings, behavioral health services and prescriptions. It will also provide metrics on the number of Medicaid expansion enrollees with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. The dashboard will show service totals by county to support local efforts, including through local health departments and community-based organizations.
“This year, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to help newly eligible North Carolinians get covered by Medicaid fast and get them connected to care,” Kinsley said. “Our new dashboard will showcase the positive impact of all the lives saved and peace of mind provided for North Carolinians by NC Medicaid.”
People who did not qualify for Medicaid in the past may now be eligible, including those who are single, have higher incomes, and don’t have children or a disability. The NCDHHS Medicaid expansion website provides information on eligibility, how to apply and where to find support. Individuals can also connect with state and local support teams to better understand their health care coverage options, complete Medicaid applications and navigate the enrollment process, as well as for help with language translation services.
LEARN MORE
To learn more or apply for NC Medicaid, visit Medicaid.nc.gov.