Affordable Care Act Anniversary Highlights Need for NC Medicaid Expansion
Yesterday marked the 12-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) being signed into law. For the past decade, the landmark health law has expanded health care coverage to millions of Americans, lowered costs and secured lifesaving protections for hard-working families across the country.
Despite the overwhelming benefits and added critical protections, North Carolina remains one of the twelve states that have yet to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the ACA.
- Since its passage, Republicans have tried several times to repeal ACA — with no replacement — that millions of Americans and almost 2.7 million North Carolinians rely on.
- Currently, more than 600,000 North Carolinians, many in rural parts of the state, remain without health care coverage due to state Republicans refusing to expand Medicaid.
- State Republicans refusal to expand health care access has prompted many to speak out, including Republican rural North Carolina leaders, and Ohio’s former governor, Republican John Kasich, who has stated that “there’s a lot of people that need a lot of help. We have to open our hearts to those people”.
A majority of North Carolinians have long supported Medicaid expansion, and with a renewed push to increase health care access for communities across the state, it’s time GOP lawmakers put politics aside, and support our caregivers, veterans, people with disabilities, families and working North Carolinians.
