CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Last week, House and Senate leaders in the General Assembly announced an agreement to expand Medicaid.
In previous negotiations, Senate Republicans pushed for the repeal of certificate of need regulations, which require health providers to get a permit from the state to build new facilities. This was initially opposed by the House, and prevented a deal last session.
However, Republican leaders came to an agreement to reduce the regulations instead of abolishing them, where permits will not be required for some facilities.
Steven Greene, an expert in public policy, says that expansion is a great thing for people that will now have health insurance.
“For roughly 600,000 North Carolinians, their lives will vary meaningfully, materially improve,” Greene says.
The Senate will now modify the bill that passed the House last month and pass their version in the coming weeks. Expansion will likely take effect this summer after the budget is passed.