Wilmington doctor says Medicaid Expansion is ‘monumental’ for North Carolinians

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After several months of budget discussion in the state legislature, Governor Roy Cooper finally announced when Medicaid Expansion will roll out in North Carolina.

During a press conference on Monday, Governor Roy Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley announced Medicaid Expansion will begin on December 1.

“I hear countless stories from everyday people, many who earn a living working two or more jobs to make ends meet but it isn’t enough to afford healthcare,” Cooper said.

Thanks to the expansion, hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will have access to healthcare starting in December. It increases the eligible population to adults aged 19 to 64 who have incomes up to 138-percent of the federal poverty level.

Dr. Claude Jarrett is an orthopedic surgeon with Wilmington Health and a member of the North Carolina Medical Society. He says this is a monumental win for North Carolinians — both providers and patients.

“Being able to provide healthcare for 600,000 more North Carolinians is a huge milestone,” Jarrett said. “This will allow access first of all. This will allow access for patients that would not be able to seek care for their injuries.”

In the coming months, Jarrett says he looks forward to caring for people who may have been delaying medical help because of a lack of insurance coverage.

“I think we’ll be able to take care of patients who have been dealing with such things as arthritis, tendon injuries, tendonitis, sprains, for the past weeks to months,” Jarrett said. “This will allow them to finally come and see a specialist, be able to start the process of diagnosing, treatment, and recovery for their injuries.”

Since Medicaid Expansion was tied to the state budget becoming law, Governor Cooper chose not to veto the budget even though other parts of it will strengthen powers of the legislature and state courts at the expense of the executive branch.

Cooper says Medicaid Expansion should not be impacted if the federal government shuts down in the coming days.