Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina Hits 500,000 Enrollees in Under a Year

RALEIGH (July 12, 2024) – In less than a year, North Carolina has already enrolled 500,000 people into our state’s Medicaid expansion program. This is a huge milestone and an accomplishment truly worth celebrating.

“As a breast cancer survivor, having Medicaid gives me a peace of mind that I didn’t have before,” says Penelope Wingard, Charlotte resident, and the first person in North Carolina to personally receive a Medicaid health insurance card from Governor Cooper on the program’s start date of December 1, 2023. “If I have a medical issue, I know I can see a doctor and not have to worry about adding to my medical debt. I’m very thankful that North Carolina finally expanded Medicaid.”

Medicaid expansion is a lifeline for people across North Carolina, giving them access to comprehensive medical services—including mental health treatment, physical therapy, and dental care—and allowing them to fill prescriptions for chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, never paying more than a $4 copay.

“Medicaid expansion has been a game changer for so many North Carolinians, giving them a fighting chance to deal with their health issues without going broke,” says Anthony Brooks, a resident of Beaufort County who personally advocated for Medicaid expansion.

“I am joyously celebrating the 500,000 people who now have hope for their health and future, while somberly remembering those who did not have that opportunity,” says Robin Jordan, a long-time advocate for Medicaid expansion, who tragically lost her daughter while waiting for the coverage gap to be closed.

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