Health Care
The federal pandemic relief bill contains a big carrot to expand Medicaid. Will North Carolina bite?
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a law that reformed the health care system and allowed more than 20 million Americans to gain coverage. Although the law passed over a decade ago, North Carolina remains one of the 12 states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion…
Read MorePresident Biden signed a sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package into law on Thursday, delivering a massive amount of much-needed federal aid for working families, essential workers and individuals who have been impacted by the financial devastation the pandemic has caused. “This legislation is about giving the backbone of this nation — the essential workers,…
Read MoreLast week, the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly passed it’s COVID-19 relief package. The NC House Bill (HB) 196 appropriated the remaining $1.7 billion in federal money that was allocated to North Carolina in the Congressional relief package passed in December. In a process that lacked transparency in ensuring equitable allocation of public dollars, the…
Read MoreSenate Democrats passed their version of the near $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act on Saturday, but not before making some major changes from the version of the bill passed by the House last week. The bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks for many Americans, extended federal unemployment benefits, billions for K-12 schools, billions for state…
Read MorePresident Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan, approved on Saturday by the House, includes an incentive for states to expand Medicaid by providing additional federal funding for their entire Medicaid program, not just those eligible under expansion. North Carolina is one of 12 states nationally that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care…
Read MoreLast week, N.C. House lawmakers approved a bill for K-12 school districts to offer partial in-person instruction, but the Senate did not agree to send it to the governor due to recent changes made to the proposal. The changes included allowing educators to receive special accommodations that could allow them to continue teaching remotely if…
Read MoreLast Thursday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper laid out his budget recommendations for COVID-19 relief spending, which includes one time bonuses for teachers and school personnel, recovery for businesses and further efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Cooper’s budget recommendations for allocating federal funding comes as the Republican-led General Assembly already passed an…
Read MoreIn opening remarks for the new legislative session, N.C. Speaker Tim Moore said, “And above all, we are committed to a system of government that represents justice for all North Carolinians”. What Moore failed to mention was how for decades, the N.C. General Assembly has failed to expand access to health care, housing support, increased…
Read MoreLast Wednesday, the North Carolina General Assembly officially began its two-year session, with COVID-19 relief spending, a two-year state budget, school spending and redistricting among the top agenda items this year. Prior to the NCGA’s adjournment, the Republican-led legislature failed to address long standing unmet needs for struggling North Carolinians. According to the state’s latest…
Read MoreLast week, President-elect Joe Biden announced a two part, $1.9 trillion relief plan that aims to tackle the many crises COVID-19 has imposed and Trump has failed to tackle, including unemployment, financial aid to struggling families and small businesses, and vaccine production. Extending the emergency unemployment insurance program, raising the minimum wage to $15 per…
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