NC Medicaid shortfall now $330 million-plus

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The North Carolina office that oversees Medicaid says the funding shortfall for the government health insurance program is more than $330 million.

Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos (vahsh) said Tuesday the shortfall has grown $85 million above the $248 million projected by Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration earlier this month.

Wos’ office again blamed the expanded shortfall on then-Gov. Beverly Perdue’s administration – this time saying it overestimated Medicaid receipts. McCrory’s agencies attributed an earlier shortfall uptick to a forecasting model error last year.

A bill in the General Assembly would give McCrory access to $400 million in unspent funds, cost savings and surplus tax collections to cover the shortfall. But that money is also supposed to cover $118 million for an outstanding drug rebate to the federal government.

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